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Was the Civil War Inevitable?

Given the state of the nation in the 1850s, the Civil War was inevitable. The Civil war
was the war between the North and the South. The North and South both had many different
disputes and thoughts on the concept of owning slaves. The North slowly wanted to get rid of the
idea of slavery in there region of the country but the South was thinking just the opposite and
both of their opinions were set in stone so sparks occurred from there opposition. (ELA BOOK).
Yellow Journalism is a part of the cause to lead up to the civil war. Yellow journalism or
yellow press is a type of journalism that presents little or no legitimate well researched news
and is intended to use eye catching headlines to sell more newspapers. (Dictionary.com)News
companies such as The daily Richmond examiner, New York times and the Harpers weekly had
a grasp on Americans Mental state of mind due to headlines such as War is wanted! or War
is right around the corner! that triggered rebellion(HISTORY BOOK).
Political Issues were drawn out to the public due to a push from yellow journalism. In
1856 Mass. Senator Charles Sumner gave an impassionate speech against slavery knowing very
well that he betrayed his colleagues for two days. In that same year Congressman Preston Brooks
nearly killed Charles Sumner two days after he gave his speech. Brooks followed Senator
Sumner to his home and slammed his metal-topped cane onto the unsuspecting Sumner's head.
As Brooks struck again and again, Sumner rose and staggered blindly around his home, futilely
attempting to protect himself. After a very long minute, it ended. Brooks resigned immediately
then he was reelected and soon after died. Senator Sumners speech was later called The Crime
against Kansas".
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Americans history of violence during the civil war led to enormous social tensions.
Abolitionist John Brown led a group of other abolitionist to Pottawatomie and killed five pro
slavery men in the anti-slavery town of Lawrence in 1856 later called Raid on Harpers Ferry.
His unsuccessful raid leads to his capture and he was tried for betrayal against the
Commonwealth of Virginia, the murder of five men and stirring a slave revolution.
(http://farharus10b.tripod.com/John_Brown.htm).
Built up tension from many political figures and towns people leaked out and turned into
violence swiftly and at a rapid rate. This only had a negative effect on stopping the civil war.
While pressure still was not released by these actions many other incidents like
The Fugitive Slave Act which was an act passed in 1850 that allowed slave owners to
hunt down escaped slaves that escaped from the South to the North. This effected already freed
slaves that never escaped and had a family in the North they were abducted and trialed like an
escaped slave.
This drove the Northern and southern regions further and further away. To make matters
worse Yellow journalism fanned the heated flames of frustration with their News journal
headlines. Both sides tried to settle their differences with major political treaties in 1820 and
1850 but both attempts failed.





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Work Cited
1. http://farharus10b.tripod.com/John_Brown.htm

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCFrObXq3xw

3. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/tl1861.html

4. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/tl1863.html

5. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/tl1864.html

6. http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/facts.html

7. http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war