Page 179-181 really opened my mind to the different opinions regarding the purpose of the war. As Chamberlain meets a colored man, and listens to and observes him, he contemplates how he feels about the man, the race, and feels ashamed. The man, different almost alien to him yet realizing that it was only skin, he asks himself, "Even I, an educated man feel this way...what was in God's mind?" And then further on the men discuss the rebel prisoners. The union soldiers, assuming they fight for slavery is surprised to learn that they are fighting for their "rights." Yet these men truly don't know what rights they were fighting for. And then Chamberlain makes the statement, thinking again of this colored man beneath him, "What could this man know of borders and states' rights and the Constitution and Dred Scott? What did he know of the war? And yet he was truly what it was all about." And to Chamberlain, the cause of the war was suddenly brutally clear.
What was the cause of the civil war? This to me is still not clear. It seems that it's almost a bad word in today's historical discussions to say that slavery is the cause. Many a fellow teacher has let me know that, "We don't say that slavery is the cause of the Civil war anymore." BUT, the more I read and study, the more I tend to disagree with today's historians. It seems to me that slavery is behind it all. "States rights" isn't that just a mask to say, you can't take away our rights to own slaves. The powerful and rich slave owners did not want their rights to own and keep their property (slaves) taken away. It seemed to me that the issue of slavery and succession, popped up in every congressional vote before the war. Non slave owners, especially in the north did not want slavery to extend into the new territories. Many felt it a sin, and felt that eventually it would destroy the country, which it almost did. The two strong opinions eventually went to war, but wasn't the initial cause slavery? Just my thoughts!
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I think perhaps the reason we don't say slavery was the cause of the Civil War anymore is that there were so many other things involved. True, slavery was the economic basis for the South. However, if the push for acquiring new territory had not occurred--that push for Manifest Destiny--perhaps the question of slavery would not have become such a major problem. People had been ignoring it (although they knew it would someday be a problem) for decades. In the past, I have found that if I approach slavery as the main focus of the problem, students forget everything else that comes into play--the politics, the new territory, the different economic development, etc. Human factors also have to be considered. Even the "work ethic" (stemming from Puritans) faced off with the "aristocratic gentile" views of the culture had an effect on causes. Arguments can be made that "holding the Union together" for the North and "the right of self-determination" for the South were the main causes. Yes, slavery and the right to own slaves were part of that self-determination, but not everything. My opinion, for what it's worth. Maybe it helps you to understand why slavery is downplayed by many of us.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. Students do get caught up in the emotion of slavery, and even when we discuss the other causes, they still focus on slavery. I hope that now, with more information I can expand their thinking.
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