Would slavery have survived without the Civil War?

Overview

Write a five-page analysis of the American Civil War.

This assessment allows you to demonstrate your understanding of a critical event in American history.

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By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

· Competency 3: Examine how the Civil War was a catalyst for economic change.

. Analyze the conflict between industry and agriculture in America.

. Examine the economic shifts after the Civil War.

. Analyze the cultural shift after the Civil War.

. Investigate the emotional impact of the Civil War.

. Analyze whether slavery might have been profitable for the South in 1860.

· Competency 6: Communicate effectively in a variety of formats.

Context

America’s Bloodiest War

America’s bloodiest war was not fought overseas. The Civil War had the highest number of American casualties. Almost three quarters of a million men and women died. Many more than that were wounded and disfigured. The war was fought and won by more populous and fully developed states against those who were less developed, much more agrarian, and prone to using human beings as little more than animals. Slavery was an abomination, but the upper classes in these states could not or would not abolish it. The South aspired to be the major cotton supplier to the world. In order to do so, the plantation owners there clung to the notion that slavery remained necessary, all the more so, if the plantation economy were to be introduced into new territories destined for statehood lying further west.

Questions to consider

To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of the business community.

Suggested Resources

The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.

Library Resources

The following e-books or articles from the Capella University Library are linked directly in this course:

· Coclanis, P. A., & Engerman, S. L. (2013). Would slavery have survived without the Civil War? Southern Cultures, 19(2), 66–90.

· Post, C. (2011). Social-property relations, class-conflict and the origins of the U.S. Civil War: Towards a new social interpretation. Historical Materialism, 19(4), 129–168.

· McCardell, J. M., Jr. (2014). Reflections on the Civil War. Sewanee Review, 122(2), 295–303.

· Halpern, R., & Dal Lago, E. (Eds.). (2002). The growth of the cotton kingdom. In Slavery and Emancipation (pp. 123–145). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers.

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Course Library Guide

A Capella University library guide has been created specifically for your use in this course. You are encouraged to refer to the resources in the HIS-FP4100 – Critical Aspects of American History Library Guide to help direct your research.

Bookstore Resources

The resources listed below are relevant to the topics and assessments in this course and are not required. Unless noted otherwise, these materials are available for purchase from the Capella University Bookstore. When searching the bookstore, be sure to look for the Course ID with the specific –FP (FlexPath) course designation.

· Keene, J. D., Cornell, S. T., & O’Donnell, E. T. (2016). Visions of America: A history of the United States (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

. Chapter 12, “Slavery and Sectionalism: The Political Crisis of 1848–1861.”‹

. Chapter 13, “A Nation Torn Apart: The Civil War 1861–1865.”

Assessment instructions

Write a five-page examination of the American Civil War. Address the following in your examination:

· Analyze the concept that the war was one between industry and agriculture, with industry coming out the winner.

· Examine ways in which the Civil War was a catalyst for economic change.

· Analyze how the cultural shift after the Civil War was not easily embraced.

· Examine how the Civil War still has an emotional impact on people living today.

· Examine whether technology such as the cotton gin could have affected the need for slavery in the South.

Additional Requirements

· Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.

· APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting.

· Number of resources: Minimum of one peer reviewed resource.

· Length of paper: Five typed, double-spaced pages.

· Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.