Dbq - Slavery and Selectional Attitude

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apart. Lincoln believed that slavery violated many U.S politics and constitutional rights that could jeopardize the country’s freedom as a whole (4). In the long run, southerners became increasingly isolated and reacted by becoming more strident in defending slavery and seceding from the Union.

African slaves were not accepted in society during the early 1800s, interactions between white American families in the South and African slaves were common and well respected. Through the belief of abolitionism, slaves and other abolitionists were able to build a partnership and form a union that served as a component to strife towards getting rid of slavery(3). Although the south and north were generally referred to as “enemies”, the topic of slavery united abolitionists in both regions regardless of their race. However, blacks still struggled to maintain peace,and suffered severe inequality. Africans in America were fighting against similar inequalities that women struggled through in the early 1800s. Blacks believed that they should be able to have the same rights and treatment as white men did, as said in the Declaration of Independence. Many questioned why it had only applied to while males and not to those of any other race. One case in particular that was brought to the Supreme Court arguing for this, was the Dred Scott vs Sanford case. The plaintiff in the case, a slave taken by his master to a northern state. However, his race made it impossible for him to be considered an equal man like anyone else. Scott argued points that allowed him to be a free man and not property in the state of Missouri. Also, Scott claimed that those residing in areas of the Louisiana Territory under the Missouri Compromise of 1820 should be considered a free man (7). The case ultimately concluded that blacks, freed or slave, weren’t able to claim US citizenship. The case additionally called the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional because it had violated the right to property.

War between the South and North was grueling. The dominance of the South’s economic system infuriated the North more than anything. Both its differences and disagreements on their ideal society, economic systems, ideals on slavery brought them to start of the several conflicts leading up to the Civil War.