The Main Cause of the Civil War
The Difference in Climate between the Southern and Northern Parts of the United States was the main cause of the American Civil War, for it was the cause that led to all other causes of the War.
The American Civil War had numerous causes. The three main causes of the American Civil War were slavery, nationalism versus sectionalism and the difference in climate between the southern and northern parts of the United States. Among all of these causes, the difference in climate between the southern and northern parts of the United States was the main cause of the Civil War for it was the cause that led to all other causes of the Civil War.
The dispute between the North and the South about slavery was a direct effect of the difference in climate between the North and the South, for the issue would not have existed if not for the North's climate which produced a difficulty in growing crops and the South's great climate for agriculture. The climate in the South was generally warm and sunny with long, hot, humid summers, mild winters and heavy rainfall. Its climate was ideal for agriculture and its flat terrain provided it with the ability to to grow a variety of different crops in large amounts. The North had a climate of warm summers and snowy cold winters. The terrain was rocky, hilly, uneven and not suitable for farming. These conditions along with a short growing season and little areas fertile soil made farming difficult. Therefore, the Southern economy became agricultural based and was in need of slave labor in order to make profit. Of the estimated 46,200 plantations known to exist in 1860, 20,700 of them had 20 to 30 slaves and 2,300 of them had a workforce of a hundred or more, with the rest somewhere in between (Vlach, 8). On the other hand, the North industrialized, and had little to no use for slaves.
Additionally, much of the sectionalism in the United States between the North and South also originated from their difference in climate, for the economies of the North and South would not have been as distinct, and thus the values and needs of the North and South would not have been so different, if not for the issue of slavery, which first originated from the difference in climate between the North and the South. However, since the climate between the North and South was very different, the economy of the North and South were very different, and thus the communities and population of the North and South were also very different. Therefore, there was a distinct difference between the Northern part of the United States and the Southern part of the United States, all because of the difference in climate between them.
For more information on how climate led to the causes of the civil war, click on "Slavery" and or "Sectionalism versus Nationalism".
The dispute between the North and the South about slavery was a direct effect of the difference in climate between the North and the South, for the issue would not have existed if not for the North's climate which produced a difficulty in growing crops and the South's great climate for agriculture. The climate in the South was generally warm and sunny with long, hot, humid summers, mild winters and heavy rainfall. Its climate was ideal for agriculture and its flat terrain provided it with the ability to to grow a variety of different crops in large amounts. The North had a climate of warm summers and snowy cold winters. The terrain was rocky, hilly, uneven and not suitable for farming. These conditions along with a short growing season and little areas fertile soil made farming difficult. Therefore, the Southern economy became agricultural based and was in need of slave labor in order to make profit. Of the estimated 46,200 plantations known to exist in 1860, 20,700 of them had 20 to 30 slaves and 2,300 of them had a workforce of a hundred or more, with the rest somewhere in between (Vlach, 8). On the other hand, the North industrialized, and had little to no use for slaves.
Additionally, much of the sectionalism in the United States between the North and South also originated from their difference in climate, for the economies of the North and South would not have been as distinct, and thus the values and needs of the North and South would not have been so different, if not for the issue of slavery, which first originated from the difference in climate between the North and the South. However, since the climate between the North and South was very different, the economy of the North and South were very different, and thus the communities and population of the North and South were also very different. Therefore, there was a distinct difference between the Northern part of the United States and the Southern part of the United States, all because of the difference in climate between them.
For more information on how climate led to the causes of the civil war, click on "Slavery" and or "Sectionalism versus Nationalism".