Are people driven by events, do events drive people, or is it a combination of the two?

Question

Abolitionists attacked Southern slaveholders as "sinners" for keeping slaves; Northerners who weren't abolitionists largely believed that these same slaveholders were lazy for living off the sweat of others. In response, Southern slaveholders and their sympathizers claimed that slavery was good for not only for slaveholders, but also for Yankees who made and wore cotton clothes. Moreover slaveholders argued that slavery was good for slaves themselves.

Since Southerners felt that slavery was postive for the nation while Northerners felt it was negative for the nation it is argued by many historians that social forces brought about the violence that occurred in May, 1856. (Keep in mind that the pro-slavery forces' raid on Lawrence, Kansas, Sumner's caning, and the murders orchestrated by Brown at Pottawatomie Creek all happened in less than one week. The telegraph moved news quickly.) Others assert that individuals such as Brown and Brooks drove events. Yet another claim is that social forces and individuals cannot be separted from each other when making arguments about why historical events occurred.

Answer 1

Except for natural events like volcanoes, hurricanes etc., all events are created by people. Nothing just happens. Everything starts with a single person doing something or passing along an idea to others. Whether they get historical credit for it is open to debate. Change happens when large numbers of people act.

Answer 2

Sometimes it can be a combination of the two, such as the response to a Tsunami or 9/11, however usually events are driven by people. People can argue all they want metaphorically about slavery and what drove it, but the fact is that man's inhumanity to man is all to prevalent throughout history. The holocaust is yet another extreme example of this. Further, open today's newspaper and see what some people do to their own helpless babies and even to children who are starved and beaten. Then look at what some people do emotionally and physically to the people they supposedly "love". Finally, look at how many people treat poor helpless animals! While not on the same plane as people, it has been stated psychologically that many killers start out mutilating and harming small animals. What a disgrace we are as a human race!

Answer 3

Individuals in and of themselves do very little to drive events. It is only when large groups act that events occur or are altered in their course.