Examining Factors Contributing to Sectional Conflict (1830-1860)

This essay examines the sectional conflict between North and South America from 1830 to 1860, focusing on factors beyond just slavery. It identifies territorial expansion, economic disparities, and differing political priorities as key contributors to the growing divide. The essay highlights the impact of westward expansion, the rise of cotton production in the South, and the differing views on education and governance. Ultimately, the essay concludes that the conflict was fueled by a combination of these factors, leading to a breakdown in relations between the two regions. Desklib offers a wide range of academic resources for students.

Introduction
The following essay is about discussing the various issues that made contribution to the
sectional conflict between the North and South America between 1830 and 1860. The various
issues responsible other than slavery will be focused on in this discussion. This will help to find
the different things to understand the reasons of conflict (Gordon, 2017).
Reasons for conflict as territorial expansion
One of the principal reasons for the sectional conflict was the production of cotton in the
South. One of the biggest roles for the growth of economy in the Southern part of the country
was played by the agriculture. The need for the slaves went on to be increased for the production
of huge amount of cotton (Gordon, 2017). The Southern America was not interested in providing
the proper education to all the people under their jurisdiction. Even they were not willing to
educate the slaves as well. The economic difference between the North and the South began to
increase from various angles as well. The economy of South was mostly different from the
North. The people in the South The people in the South were mostly unified from the political
aspects. The political structure was more democratic than their Northern counterpart (Reid,
2014).
To be specific, the fact of the territorial expansion can be named as one of the biggest
issues that led to the sectional conflict and then the civil war between the two regions of the
country. The Westward expansion of the South gave them the opportunity to expand towards the
Mississippi river (Doyle, 2014). The war that took place in 1812 gave them the political power
to establish their basement there. The priorities of the people in both the areas did not match and

this conflict led them to the cold war indeed. The new territories that came under their power
noticed the increase in the population highly. Some new states were born in these years. These
states were Indiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Illinois and Missouri and Maine (Doyle, 2014). The
state of Louisiana was completely under the power of France. In the later period, USA had paid
about $ 15 million to get Louisiana. The agriculture of the country went to grow with the
expansion of the territories as well. Maximum people went to migrate to the Western side on
their foot and they mostly used to travel in groups to avoid any clash (Reid, 2014). The term of
‘manifest destiny’ coined by John O’Sullivan instigated the white Americans to claim on the
American territory with loud protests from the North Americans as well. The expansion of the
territories in the country gave the opportunity to remove the Indians from that territory (Hummel,
2013). All these issues led to the result of the sectional conflict between the North and the South.
Conclusion
The essay can be concluded by saying the impact of the territorial expansion between the
North and South of America had given the rise to the conflict between the two regions. This
proved to be a disaster for the relationship between the two regions.

References
Doyle, D. H. (2014). The cause of all nations: An international history of the American civil war.
Basic Books.
Gordon, R. J. (2017). The rise and fall of American growth: The US standard of living since the
civil war (Vol. 70). Princeton University Press.
Hummel, J. (2013). Emancipating slaves, enslaving free men: a history of the American civil
war. Open court.
Reid, B. H. (2014). The Origins of the American Civil War. Routledge.