Xavier Rice
U.S History
Buchta Period 7
12/10/14
Civil War Paper There were many factors that led to the Civil War. Since the United States was made a country the North and South have not always gotten along on slavery. The making of the cotton Gin, the Fugitive Slave Act, the Dreed Scott case, The Compromise of 1850, the election of 1860, and John Brown’s raid were all events that led to the start of the Civil War. All of these events had something to do with slavery either directly or in some small way. The Civil War was started because of the following events: John Brown’s raid, the election of 1860, and the Dred Scott case. These events did not single handedly start the war but out of all the events that occurred, these events are the ones that are recognized as startup to the Civil War. John Brown was born May 9, 1800 in Torrington, Connecticut. He was a white abolitionist who believed that violence was the only way to end slavery. Early in 1859, he rented a farm near Harpers Ferry which is now in West Virginia, but at the time was part of Virginia on October 16 John and his army of twenty-one men had been collecting weapons, and they attacked and took control of Harpers Ferry. They were quickly enclosed by the local militia, commanded by Colonel Robert E. Lee. John Brown and a few of his men were captured. The country was split in two on their thoughts of what John Brown had did, the North was electrified while the South was livid. Another example of how the United States was much divided was the North thought that John was a hero for risking his life so that he could better the lives of others. The South thought that he was a traitor to their country and that he should be killed. Brown was convicted of treason and sentenced to hang on December 2, 1859. Many analysts then and since have concluded that Brown’s raid did much to accelerate the imminent threat of a Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860. This election was a big deal, in the United States. This is because the South was losing in the race of power in the government. The North had more power in Congress and the House of Representatives but the president before the election was a southerner. This election was so important because it lead to South Carolina secede from the Union. South Carolina seceded because they were afraid the government would abolish slavery. Other states joined South Carolina in secession from the union which steered toward the civil war. After 12 states seceded the Civil War started soon after. Dred Scott was an African-American slave who was taken by his master, an officer in the U.S. Army, from the slave state