Skip to main content

Do you think the Civil War would have happened if Abraham Lincoln had not been elected President?

Counterfactual history is always hard, and professional historians try to stay away from wondering "what if." That said, it is fun to ponder what would happen if Lincoln was not elected.  It is entirely possible; after all, he only received 49% of the popular vote.  A Lincoln defeat would have left the Democrats in charge of the White House, and Stephen Douglas would not have wanted to alienate Congress by doing anything to end slavery....

Counterfactual history is always hard, and professional historians try to stay away from wondering "what if." That said, it is fun to ponder what would happen if Lincoln was not elected.  It is entirely possible; after all, he only received 49% of the popular vote.  A Lincoln defeat would have left the Democrats in charge of the White House, and Stephen Douglas would not have wanted to alienate Congress by doing anything to end slavery.  The Lower South would not have seceded--this would have taken away the immediate cause of the war.  


The next question now should be this:  how would America look in the era between 1861 and 1864?  The nation was already showing signs of strain:  John Brown's raid in 1859 and "Bleeding Kansas" already proved that people were ready to shed blood over slavery.  The Republicans would have had more power in 1864 as the North gained more immigrants than the South and would have probably won that election.  Lincoln was not even the party's first choice, and a ticket with a Radical Republican such as Edwin Stanton would definitely lead to war, this time with the border states seceding as well to maintain their slavery rights.  To answer your question, war would probably be inevitable when a Republican managed to take the White House due to the growth of the North.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What are some external and internal conflicts that Montag has in Fahrenheit 451?

 Montag, the protagonist of Fahrenheit 451, faces both external and internal conflicts throughout the novel. Some examples of these conflicts are: External Conflicts: Conflict with the society: Montag lives in a society that prohibits books and critical thinking. He faces opposition from the government and the people who enforce this law. Montag struggles to come to terms with the fact that his society is based on censorship and control. Conflict with his wife: Montag's wife, Mildred, is completely absorbed in the shallow and meaningless entertainment provided by the government. Montag's growing dissatisfaction with his marriage adds to his external conflict. Conflict with the fire captain: Montag's superior, Captain Beatty, is the personification of the oppressive regime that Montag is fighting against. Montag's struggle against Beatty represents his external conflict with the government. Internal Conflicts: Conflict with his own beliefs: Montag, at the beginning of th...

In A People's History of the United States, why does Howard Zinn feel that Wilson made a flimsy argument for entering World War I?

"War is the health of the state," the radical writer Randolph Bourne said, in the midst of the First World War. Indeed, as the nations of Europe went to war in 1914, the governments flourished, patriotism bloomed, class struggle was stilled, and young men died in frightful numbers on the battlefields-often for a hundred yards of land, a line of trenches. -- Chapter 14, Page 350, A People's History of the United States Howard Zinn outlines his arguments for why World War I was fought in the opening paragraph of Chapter 14 (referenced above). The nationalism that was created by the Great War benefited the elite political and financial leadership of the various countries involved. Socialism, which was gaining momentum in Europe, as was class struggle, took a backseat to mobilizing for war. Zinn believes that World War I was fought for the gain of the industrial capitalists of Europe in a competition for capital and resources. He states that humanity itself was punished by t...

Where did Atticus take the light and extension cord in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with... Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with Jim if that’s what it takes to protect him.  Atticus tells the men that he will make sure his client gets his fair shake at the law.  “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till ...