What is the connection among sectionalism, slavery, and states' rights as causes of the Civil War?
How did the Southern response to the 1860 election results demonstrate this connection?
(4 points)
The connection among sectionalism, slavery, and states' rights as causes of the Civil War is that these issues were deeply intertwined and fueled the tensions between the North and the South. Sectionalism refers to the strong allegiance and loyalty people had towards their respective regions. In the case of the United States, this manifested in the stark differences between the industrial North and the agrarian South. Slavery was a major point of contention between the two regions, with the North increasingly opposing it, while the South relied on it for their economic and social systems.
States' rights referred to the belief that individual states should have the power to make their own decisions and laws, rather than being subject to the federal government's authority. In the context of the Civil War, states' rights became a rallying cry for the South in defense of their right to own slaves.
The Southern response to the 1860 election results demonstrated this connection. When Abraham Lincoln was elected as President, the Southern states felt that their interests and values were no longer represented. They believed that Lincoln's anti-slavery stance and perceived centralization of power threatened their way of life and economic stability. In response, several Southern states seceded from the Union, citing states' rights as their justification. This act of secession was a direct result of the deep-seated tensions and divisions caused by sectionalism, slavery, and states' rights, ultimately leading to the Civil War.