Economics

1. Economics Sami Spencer, Chloe Bickel, Jack Sweeny, Olivia Cordero, and Tyler Corsello

2. Thesis • The driving force behind the civil war were economic factors that ultimately lead to our nation’s early sectionalism.

3. Western Expansion • The reason for western expansion was mostly due to trade and the opportunity of new lands. • Western expansion was for many people a chance for the plantation of slavery beyond the coastal southeast. • This could be taken back to the 1600’s to the founding of the new world when all the foreign countries were trying to gain access to the new world for expansion. • Trade, new products and resources to sell. • During the beginning of the colonial development the north mostly focused on subsistence farming while the south had always focused on cash crops. • Cities did not develop well in the South. Most of the colonies were created for the expansion of trade. • Gold Rush (California) • Kansas Nebraska Act and Missouri Compromise kept an even balance of power. • Government uses popular sovereignty to determine states decision over slavery

4. Economic Disunion • The increase in the amount of cotton was due to the invention of the cotton gin. • Plantations to depended on cheap labor. • Though slavery was a big part to the civil war this was on account that the south needed this slave labor force to created the crops that the south had been using to create goods. • The Southern economy was based off of a crop economy while the North was industrial. • This created a difference in economic attitude. • Society in the north developed into different cultures and classes while the south had a social order. • Economic disunion lead to sectionalism • If there wasn't an economic demand, slavery would not be needed. • With the founding of Cotton and creation of the Cotton Gin, labor workers were needed • "I will not touch slavery where it exists." - Abraham Lincoln • Many attempts are being made not to get rid of slavery • Leaders allow for popular sovereignty to rule actions made by states • The Northern states also had a huge economic stake in slavery and the cotton trade.

5. Economy vs. Westward Expansion • Missouri Compromise did not solve sectionalism for long • Popular sovereignty disturbed balance in Senate

6. Economics vs. Poor Leadership • With high economic needs, Presidents were not sure how to handle society. • Lincoln was an influential leader. • Many felt threatened by Lincoln, but he was not in favor of eliminating slavery. • Leaders allow for popular sovereignty to rule actions made by states. • James Buchanan led them to destruction. • Southerners felt threatened by Lincoln's opinion about slavery. • American System: • Although Monroe put the American system in place to unify the economy, the system was never a complete success and economic disunion still prevailed.

7. Economics vs. Slavery • If there wasn't an economic demand, slavery would not be needed. • Northerners wanted to remove slavery (North had a different economy.) • Extremists were determined to fight for slavery • Uncle Tom's Cabin engorged Southerners and fueled Northerners desire to fight • Slavery was driving force to fight (Can’t have slavery without cotton <economy) • "Rhodes identified slaver as the central cause of the war" -James Ford Rhodes

8. Economics vs. States Rights • Leaders allow for popular sovereignty to rule actions made by states • Nullification can be used as ways to remove offending laws • The pro-secession states resisted taxation by the Federation • Main concern: which powers rightly belonged to states or the Federal Government • Secession was a big factor in states rights, Was it Constitutional?

9. Due to the Economy, it created a ripple effect with all other factors of the Civil War.