Reading: Clark, Chap. 6
Points of Entry:
The Civil War:
Civil War Battlefields:
Reconstruction Era:
Questions:
Could the Civil War have been avoided? What would the U.S. look like if compromise was reached?
What would the U.S. look like if Reconstruction was fulfilled and not ended in 1877?
What does recent commemoration of the Civil War say about its legacy?
- There is a chance that the Civil War could have been avoided, but the differences between the free northern industrial economy and the southern agrarian slave economy could not be reconciled with one another. If the Civil War had been avoided, then it is likely that the U.S. might still be divided into two distinct nations, given that the institution of slavery did dissolve under mounting humanitarian criticism or the displacement of physical labor with mechanical labor.
ReplyDelete-If Reconstruction had been fulfilled, then African Americans would have been able to incorporate themselves as main-stream middle-class Americans much sooner. The Reconstruction Era allowed black people with protection from racial harassment and virtual equality with whites of comparable classes. With time, white Southerners would be forced to dispel their former notions of black people as inferior second-class citizens as they are increasingly forced to share the same public goods and facilities. Americans racial barriers would have been destroyed much earlier.
-Recent commemoration of the Civil War indicates that the war was instrumental in shaping American politics in the modern era. Southerners evoke the Civil War for the "rebel-spirit," hoping to revive the long-diminished status of states-rights. Northerners evoke the Civil War as a means of emphasizing the exposing the harmful backwardness of southern conservatism and the weakness of the pro-states-rights model of government.
The Civil War could have possibly been avoided, however the nation would not have been the same way without its effects. Without the civil war the two regions would have had to make a compromise that would most likely have not made either side content. Slavery would have still been allowed, since it would be a major bargaining point for the south, however major constrictions would have been added to make the north happy. So without the civil war neither side would have been happy, and the rivalry would have continued and the two regions would have remained strained and not unified. Therefore the civil war seems very necessary to have helped form one unified identity.
ReplyDeleteIf reconstruction was completed, the South would have looked a lot more like the North. Meaning they would be much more industrialized. I feel like farming would have remained, but including more industrialized parts, that would make the southern states more self sufficient. Black labor would also not have been as abused, as well. Reconstruction would most likely would have helped blacks receive decent pay and working conditions. However I have to disagree with Anthony and say that racism would have remained, and would have still effected the working conditions of blacks. This is because racism was too engrained in both societies. But I do agree with him, when thinking that the segregation and racist agendas would have been a lot less extreme as it was at this time.
The Civil War helepd shape American identity because it brought the nation together. Although the South had to give up a lot, the war allowed the nation to finally have a reason to come together. With out it, the division between the two nations would have been cut a lot deeper. The south and north had too great of differences and were too stubborn to come together to fix anything, so one needed to make the final decision, which is where the war came in handy. Both sides can look at the war for different reasons to why it was great, but it was the ultimate American battle, of fighting for freedom and standing up for what you think is right.
The civil war could never have been avoided. Because of the situation at the time, both the North and the South were in a constant state of competition. Because neither side was willing to surrender its means of income, the war had to take place. It is unrealistic to imagine that the South would have surrendered slavery, and in turn its cotton production to the North. Furthermore it was unreasonable to imagine that the North would secede its industry which made it an admirable opponent for the South.
ReplyDeleteIn the end the Civil War was unavoidable simply because of a human lust for power. Neither side even considered the thought of surrendering its' power.
Many say that the Civil war could have been avoided, but persopnally I don't think it could have. The nation we live in today would not be in the state it is in if it had not gone through the war. The war was a learning experience for the United States because we were a new country that had yet to see what really went on in battle. We wouldn't know how to deal with wars today if it wasn't for the Civil War and the documentation with pictures.
ReplyDeleteIf reconstruction was completed, the south would have been a lot different. African Americans that were slaves would have been able to become free and eligible to rights that all other Americans had. Because of the reconstruction era, the ties between social and racial arguments were increased because so mayn people were against it and wanted things to be equal for everyone.
The Civil War benefited the United States in a way that made it how it is today. It helped form new ways ofgovernment and war tactics. Many new concepts of how to fight were introduced and turned out to be very helpful. Even though the South ended up losing and giving up slaves and their way of life, we wouldn't be where we are today in social understanding and interpretation of equality amongst everyone.
If the Civil War was avoided then there would probably still be a division in the nation between each other. There probably wouldn't be slaves, but I'm sure the two sides would have probably have separated.
ReplyDeleteIf the Reconstruction had been finished then the entire nation would have been different, especially the south. The south probably would have more industries like in the northern part of the nation. African Americans would have gotten the same rights as everyone else earlier also, and perhaps women as well.
I'd say the war shaped what would become of the United States. The Civil War helped in strategies in warfare. It also brought unity to the nation.
I am not sure that the Civil War could be avoided. Although it may not have been started due to slavery, the foundation of slavery was going to eventually cause too much conflict between the North and the South to go without being resolved. And the issue of slavery was too large to be concluded by a compromise. There were too many plantation owners and opposing abolitionists within the United States to settle the issue quietly. If, by the off chance that a compromise was reached and slavery had ended, than I believe that the racism that was explosive after the Civil War would still exist today.
ReplyDeleteIf Reconstruction was finished in 1877 and not ended than there might have been much more drastic changes towards equality in the United States. In addition, if reconstruction was completed than South might have developed to the same level as the North. This would have created a whole different types of interactions within the United States.
Recent commemoration of the Civil War shows two very distinct views of this controversial war. The South as recently began to plan balls that show the traditional lift of the south. This shows a very romanticized view of what the South was, ignoring what the foundation was-slavery. The North, and most elsewhere in the United States, has a different idea, that the South prior to the Civil War had great inequality and the lifestyle and traditions created were created on the backs of slaves. By ignoring this part of the past, history becomes completely skewed.
I do believe the Civil War could of been avoided but this would of taken a considerable amount of time. I believe this for the reason that with the advancements of technology towards the end of the Nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century would of completely and utterly made slavery economically infeasible.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that the South would of been any different if Reconstruction lasted any longer if anything I believe this would of actually in fact incite a hit and run guerrila style warfare that we started to see with such outlaws as Jesse James and other former Confederate soldiers and would of potentially been exponentially longer than what we have seen today. Previous beliefs and ways of life take time to change.
I believe this recent commemoration of the Civil War is a healthy acknowledgement of a war that took 618,000 American lives. Yes slavery was an ugly chapter in American History but we cannot just ignore the fact that a war occurred between the states but instead realize the good things that eventually came out of it and to celebrate a way of life with the exception of slavery.