Question regarding about slavery in the US?

Question

Abraham Lincoln and the North eventually ended slavey in the US by force. Were the Northerners who ended slavery just better, more moral people than the southerners? Or was it something else?

please explain...

Answer 1

Slavery in the US was sustained because of the economy of the south. The slaves were free labor to tend the farms of the southern plantation owners, which depended on the free labor in order to make a profit. The north became industrialized and was not reliant on slave labor. It had nothing to do with morals because Americans from the north did not treat the former slaves as equals. The driving force behind freeing the slaves was the economy of the north. This is also why the South attempted to break from the United States and form its own sovereign nation; the north and the south were two very separate places.

Answer 2

at the time of the Civil War, the southern economy was very much agricultural and relied heavily on slaves, while the north was much more industrialized and relied much less so on slaves.

Lincoln thought freeing slaves would cripple the southern economy and maybe even lead to an uprising amoung slaves against their owners (both of which would ultimately benefit the north)

It is also interesting to note that Lincoln only freed slaves in the South, i.e. the region of the contry that he did not control (even if the Civil War was about preserving the union and ultimately keeping both the North and the South under the authority of the same federal government)

ahhh ... how little politicians change over the years! wonder what they called spin doctors back then?

Answer 3

Slavery was more prominent in the south due to the land/plantations. Southerners viewed slaves as valuable property and an important part of their lively hoods. Abolitionists were the moral ones, the govt merely heeded their call. The south felt they were being pressured and didn't want to give up what they felt was their right. I don't condone what the south was standing for, but I can see their concern. In fact many freed slaves led battalions for the south. In the end, it was war losses not morals that ended the conflict. Regardless, it is a very complex issue that is hard to explain in such a short forum.

Answer 4

It had a lot to do with the way they were raised and educated. The north was industrialized, the south was an agrarian society. Slavery was a way of life in the south. The people were accustomed to it. They didn't think they were doing anything wrong. For the most part they were God fearing Christians. They turned to the examples in the bible to justify slavery.

Answer 5

The North really did not need slaves because they had factories and were more industralized (city-like).

The South needed slavery because they had more arigculture(sp?) and such so they needed some to pick the cotton and stuff.

Remember Slavery really didn't start until the 1800s though in the 1600s and early to mid 1700s the slaves that came over from England were called Indentured Servants so after 5-7 years of service they were free.

Answer 6

It like most things partially boils down to economics, the northern industry was manufacturing and did not require slaves, while the southern agriculture was much more labor intensive. The north did not treat African Americans well either.

Answer 7

Rather than explain, you should read Lincoln's 2d Inaugeral Address. It speaks volumes in 2 pages.

Answer 8

now that's a hard one to answer,you know i have sat here for 20 minutes trying to think of a good reason for that war.and all i can think about is all the boys that lost their lives with that same question on their minds.both sides had a terrible loss.good question!

Answer 9

there were more free african americans in the north.