What were the Antebellum period's economic factors that led to the American Civil War?

Question

Our class will be comparing five of the major contributing factors of the American Civil War. My group must defend why we believe (regardless of opinion) it was the antebellum economy that was the biggest contributing factor...I envy the group with "Slavery" as the biggest...what an easy assignment for them, huh?

Answer 1

King Cotton was slipping from the throne, mostly in England.
The bowl weevil was devastating cotton
Mechanization was subverting the slave economy.
Demand for tobacco was dropping.

Actually slavery never figured very big in the civil war despite attempts to make out otherwise. It was over states rights. Whether or not a state had the right to secede from the Union. The south was still galled by the inability to levy taxes on interstate commerce.

Answer 2

Get your hands on a copy of American Heritages picture history of The Civil War on page 79 you will find a chart that shows you the difference in production between the North and the South.

Then Remember That the south had demanded that 5/8th of each slave be counted as a person so that they could keep parity with the population of the northern states. That will show you where to start. Hint manufacturing.