(no subject)
A nation unites by similar customs, culture, and political views. Sharing these similarities enables economic, social, and political progress. However, this term does not seem to apply to a country that sports united in its name. The contemporary North and South United States are divided by increasingly polarized views on social issues, moral issues, and politics. The separation between the two regions first occurred in the 19th century, slavery being the central conflict. The South seceded from the Union, forming the Confederate States of America. Nevertheless, due to another conflict over the interpretation of the Constitution, the North retaliated against Southern secession, starting the Civil War. Southern defeat proved to be one-sided. The Civil War bridged the governmental gap between Northern and Southern states, but failed to restore social unity between Northern and Southern people. The divide between the 21st century North and South is symbolic of feuding country. With the residue of Southern nationalism, the South has created its own social culture, meaningful literature, and political engagements. In a way, we still are and always will be fighting the Civil War.
Northerners have regarded the South as backwards, racist and conservative. Conversely, Southerners have viewed the North as advanced, socially out of sync, and liberal. (Pulito) Although both views are stereotyped, some truth lies behind each statement. Historical political differences between the two regions still persist and are very significant to their split. (Tuggle) The South is known for their conservatism and support for the Republican Party. “Support for conservative causes is often found in the South, including resistance to same-sex marriage and abortion.”(Free Encyclopedia) The North however, tends to vote for the Democratic Party, clearly “graphically illustrated in the Blue zones in the North.” (Tuggle) The Northern view of the South as racist stems from Jim Crow laws passed in the Deep South being defeated in the Civil War. “In the 1890’s, a political backlash against black rights emerged in the South. Organizations such as the K.K.K sworn to perpetuate white Supremacy, used lynching and other forms of violence to keep African Americans from exercising their political rights.”(Encyclopedia) The South remains agrarian in their economy, while the North always has been more industrialized. Economy, politics and moral issues divide the contemporary North and South. However, where the divide stemmed from is still unclear.
To create a deeper understanding of the drastic divide between the Northern and Southern states, one cannot ignore the importance of the Civil War, also known as the “war for Southern independence.”(Tuggle) The Romantic period in the United States greatly affected the North. A wide range of moral issues surfaced during this period, such as the controversy of slavery. The abolitionist movement was created, with the central purpose of emancipating all slaves from bondage. However, the South had been strongly dependant on slaves economically. “After 1790 cotton became the dominant cash crop, worked primarily by slaves.” (Encyclopedia) In 1850 the number of slaves in the South exceeded 4 million. As new territories joined the Union, a split in the parties emerged as well. Arguments in Congress resulted in compromises over what state would be declared free, and which were not. The Missouri Compromise of 1850 hailed 36-30 parallel, saying that all states below the line would have slavery, and all states above would be free states. Agreements such as this existed all throughout the 1850’s. The final straw came with the creation of the Republican Party in 1854. This was the first party to have its main focus be the abolition of slavery. During the 1860 election, the South found itself over-ruled when the first Republican president, Lincoln came to power. The election catalyzed the already growing divide between the North and South. “By 1861 sectional differences surrounding the issues of slavery, states rights, modernization, ethical standards, abolition and tariffs led to the secession of the seven deep Southern states after the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. The formed the Confederate States of America. After war broke out, four more states joined the Union.” (Encyclopedia) The end of the war came in 1865 with a devastating defeat for the Confederate States. “After Civil War, the South found itself devastated, both in terms of population, infrastructure, and economy. South found itself under reconstruction, with Union military troops in direct control of the South. Many white Southerners who supported the Confederacy found themselves without the right to vote. African Americans in the South began to enjoy more rights than they ever had in the region.”(Encyclopedia) Though the Civil War restored the United States of America back into one country and temporarily solved the states rights issue, Southern bitter attitude and Confederate nationalism made it impossible for the states to come up with any national unity.
The South remains consistent in their views on Civil Rights. “In the 1890’s, a political backlash against black rights emerged. Organizations such as the K.K.K sworn to perpetuate white supremacy, used lynching, cross burnings and other forms of violence and intimidation to keep African Americans from exercising their political rights. Jim Crow laws were created to legally do the same thing.”(Encyclopedia) Jim Crow laws, named after a black minstrel, divided the black and white race in the South. The Civil War proved to fail in reforming the Southern attitude towards equality. Blacks and Whites could not drink of dine together, whether in private homes or restaurants. They didn’t attend the same schools, churches, and even toilets and water fountains were restricted by race. (Isserman) This feeling of resentment and antebellum view can is also viewed in Southern literature, which is greatly distinguished from Northern literature. Faulkner, author of “A Rose for Emily” wrote about the sleepy southern town, and described how a mayor of a town declared “no Negro woman should appear on the streets without an apron.”(Faulkner) Similarly, the writings of Mark Twain display the same structure as seen in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Twain wrote this novel after the end of the civil war, yet in his writings portrayed a slave, Jim as naïve and mentally underdeveloped. Throughout the 20th century, the split between North and South only divided more.
Northerners have regarded the South as backwards, racist and conservative. Conversely, Southerners have viewed the North as advanced, socially out of sync, and liberal. (Pulito) Although both views are stereotyped, some truth lies behind each statement. Historical political differences between the two regions still persist and are very significant to their split. (Tuggle) The South is known for their conservatism and support for the Republican Party. “Support for conservative causes is often found in the South, including resistance to same-sex marriage and abortion.”(Free Encyclopedia) The North however, tends to vote for the Democratic Party, clearly “graphically illustrated in the Blue zones in the North.” (Tuggle) The Northern view of the South as racist stems from Jim Crow laws passed in the Deep South being defeated in the Civil War. “In the 1890’s, a political backlash against black rights emerged in the South. Organizations such as the K.K.K sworn to perpetuate white Supremacy, used lynching and other forms of violence to keep African Americans from exercising their political rights.”(Encyclopedia) The South remains agrarian in their economy, while the North always has been more industrialized. Economy, politics and moral issues divide the contemporary North and South. However, where the divide stemmed from is still unclear.
To create a deeper understanding of the drastic divide between the Northern and Southern states, one cannot ignore the importance of the Civil War, also known as the “war for Southern independence.”(Tuggle) The Romantic period in the United States greatly affected the North. A wide range of moral issues surfaced during this period, such as the controversy of slavery. The abolitionist movement was created, with the central purpose of emancipating all slaves from bondage. However, the South had been strongly dependant on slaves economically. “After 1790 cotton became the dominant cash crop, worked primarily by slaves.” (Encyclopedia) In 1850 the number of slaves in the South exceeded 4 million. As new territories joined the Union, a split in the parties emerged as well. Arguments in Congress resulted in compromises over what state would be declared free, and which were not. The Missouri Compromise of 1850 hailed 36-30 parallel, saying that all states below the line would have slavery, and all states above would be free states. Agreements such as this existed all throughout the 1850’s. The final straw came with the creation of the Republican Party in 1854. This was the first party to have its main focus be the abolition of slavery. During the 1860 election, the South found itself over-ruled when the first Republican president, Lincoln came to power. The election catalyzed the already growing divide between the North and South. “By 1861 sectional differences surrounding the issues of slavery, states rights, modernization, ethical standards, abolition and tariffs led to the secession of the seven deep Southern states after the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. The formed the Confederate States of America. After war broke out, four more states joined the Union.” (Encyclopedia) The end of the war came in 1865 with a devastating defeat for the Confederate States. “After Civil War, the South found itself devastated, both in terms of population, infrastructure, and economy. South found itself under reconstruction, with Union military troops in direct control of the South. Many white Southerners who supported the Confederacy found themselves without the right to vote. African Americans in the South began to enjoy more rights than they ever had in the region.”(Encyclopedia) Though the Civil War restored the United States of America back into one country and temporarily solved the states rights issue, Southern bitter attitude and Confederate nationalism made it impossible for the states to come up with any national unity.
The South remains consistent in their views on Civil Rights. “In the 1890’s, a political backlash against black rights emerged. Organizations such as the K.K.K sworn to perpetuate white supremacy, used lynching, cross burnings and other forms of violence and intimidation to keep African Americans from exercising their political rights. Jim Crow laws were created to legally do the same thing.”(Encyclopedia) Jim Crow laws, named after a black minstrel, divided the black and white race in the South. The Civil War proved to fail in reforming the Southern attitude towards equality. Blacks and Whites could not drink of dine together, whether in private homes or restaurants. They didn’t attend the same schools, churches, and even toilets and water fountains were restricted by race. (Isserman) This feeling of resentment and antebellum view can is also viewed in Southern literature, which is greatly distinguished from Northern literature. Faulkner, author of “A Rose for Emily” wrote about the sleepy southern town, and described how a mayor of a town declared “no Negro woman should appear on the streets without an apron.”(Faulkner) Similarly, the writings of Mark Twain display the same structure as seen in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Twain wrote this novel after the end of the civil war, yet in his writings portrayed a slave, Jim as naïve and mentally underdeveloped. Throughout the 20th century, the split between North and South only divided more.