Lessons learnt from American Civil war

Lesson Learnt from American Civil warStudent’s Name:

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Lessons learnt

The American civil war was the outcome of years of difference in ideologies and economic differences between the North and the South. In my opinion, it however broke out when least expected. The two factions had co-existed for years in spite of their differences. The election of Abraham Lincoln at a time where slavery was the focus of the South’s economy caused many southerners jitters. They feared that their livelihood would be compromised by abolition of slavery, thus they opted to secede for their economic survival (Keene 2010)

McClure however makes it clear that slavery was just the white crest of a strong wave that had rocked the Union since its inception CITATION McC86 l 1033 (McClure 1886). He faults George Washington and Thomas Jefferson for failing to explicitly outline the powers of the states and those of the central government. Jefferson’s believe in ‘power for the people’ was used by the southerners who perceived the Northerners as infringing into their freedom to keep slaves.

Despite the casualties, the War managed to unite the Union once again. The Civilian War can thus be viewed as a necessary evil that enhanced America’s unity. McClure highlights the reluctance the soldiers had when fighting their brothers. It is this brotherhood that aided the union’s post war prosperity and patriotism. It also enhanced the status of African Americans who were finally granted citizenship.

This whole course has brought to light the patriotism and selflessness the founding fathers of America portrayed in fighting for the rights of their people. It has instilled in me a sense of patriotism and identity that will help me in interacting with fellow citizens and taking part in national processes like voting.

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY McClure, Alexander Kelly. “The lesson of our civil war.” Pamphlets on the Civil War, 1861-1865, 1886.

Keene, J. D., Cornell, S., & O’Donnell, E. T. (2010). Visions of America: A history of the United States. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.