The American Civil War

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the Free Soil party platform that opposed the compromises being contemplated by northern congressmen to placate the demands of slave states for extending slavery in the free states. The paper then explains how the doctrine of nullification, the philosophy of manifest destiny and the Fugitive Slave Law also contributed directly or indirectly to the start of the Civil War.

Outline:
The Free Soil Party Platform
The Doctrine of Nullification
Manifest Destiny
The Fugitive Slave Law

From the Paper:

"When people discuss the split over slavery between the Southern and Northern states in the pre-Civil War decades, it is often assumed that the Northerners opposed the spread of slavery beyond the already existing 'slave states' of the South for moral reasons . The impression is not accurate. Many Northerners (including Lincoln) opposed slavery mainly because they feared that black slave labor might spread to the North and threaten the economic and political interest of free white farmers."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "The Free Soil Party Platform." (1848). Professor Mark Lause's Links. Retrieved on December 13, 2007 from http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Quad/6460/doct/848frsl.html
• Hawes, R. F. Jr. (2007). "Nullification Re-visited." The Libertarian Enterprise. Number 411, April 1, 2007. Retrieved on December 13, 2007 from http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2007/tle411-20070401-03.html
• Lubragge, M. T. (2003). "Manifest Destiny: The Philosophy That Created A Nation." From Revolution to Reconstruction. http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/E/manifest/manif1.htm
• Swogger, M.J. (1997). "Causes of the Civil War: The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Law." Suite 101. Retrieved on December 13, 2007 from http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/american_civil_war_retired/4390

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