argument top image

What caused the American Civil War?
Back to question

Prevalence of white supremacy

White supremacy was prevalent across all levels of Southern society due to the historical presence of slavery in its agrarian economy.
(1 of 4) Next argument >

The Argument

White Southerners vehemently believed in the natural inferiority of non-white races, shaping both its culture and its political institutions around this assumption. Vice President of the Confederacy, Alexander H. Stephen, emphasized how Thomas Jefferson and the Founding Fathers' belief that slavery “was in violation of the laws of nature” and “their assumption of the equality of the races” were fundamentally wrong.[1] Southerners were deeply concerned with emancipation, believing that it would lead to miscegenation and ultimately the destruction of the white race.

Counter arguments

Southern politicians that initiated secession were primarily driven by the Southern economy's need for slaves and by how Northern politicians sought to increase their relative political power by stripping Southerners of their rights.

Premises

[P1] Slavery was seen as immoral by the majority of the North. [P2] Racism was deeply rooted in the South and allowed for Southern whites to accept slavery.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] Slavery was moral due as it was a way to bring slaves into civilization proper. [Rejecting P2] Racism was rampant across all of the United States. Southerners adopted slavery due to the need for agrarian labor.

References

  1. https://www.upress.virginia.edu/title/1156
This page was last edited on Monday, 27 Apr 2020 at 14:29 UTC

Explore related arguments