Introduction
The book “For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War” is a biographical book by James M. McPherson. It highlights the major factors that motivated most men to fight in the American Civil War. Many men from the northern and southern sides of the country participated in the war regardless of its devastating impacts, such as economic losses and death (McPherson 113). McPherson highlights societal, cultural, and political factors as some of the major reasons for the Civil War.
Civil War Reasons
Slavery
One of the primary reasons for the war between the Northern American states, also known as the Union, and the Southern States, also known as the Confederacy, was the issue of slavery. A significant number of black individuals were subjected to slavery in different sectors within the United States of America. Most southern states heavily relied on slavery to enhance their agricultural industry production (McPherson 131). However, the northern states abolished slavery within their regions and ventured into industrialization, which significantly impacted their economic performance.
Slavery was a major motivational factor for both the northern and the southern states to participate in the American Civil War, which had a devastating impact on the well-being of American citizens. For example, for the northern states, the issue of slavery was one of the major motivational factors for their involvement in the war (McPherson 139). They felt that it was necessary to uphold high levels of humanity and respect every individual without any form of discrimination. One of the Union Soldiers from the northern state wrote in his diary, “I go to fight for the Union and to set the Negroes free” (McPherson 143). Some of the soldiers also wrote letters to their wives portraying how they were fighting to abolish the slavery menace within the nation to uphold humanity in the country.
However, for the Southern states, the defense of slavery was also a significant motivating factor in their decision to fight in the American Civil War. Many Southern soldiers believed that the abolition of slavery would destroy their way of life and lead to economic recession. For example, confederate soldier Henry McDaniel wrote in his diary in 1861, “The Northern people are trying to abolish slavery, and we must fight to protect our rights” (McPherson 163).
Similarly, Confederate General Robert E. Lee stated in a letter to his wife in 1861, “The blacks are immeasurably better off here than in Africa, morally, socially & physically” (McPherson 164). The Southerners fought to defend their slavery culture since they greatly relied on enslaved people for cheap labor for different sectors in the state.
State Rights
Another major factor that motivated the Northerners and the Southerners to participate in the Civil War was the states’ rights. The southern states greatly believed that American states needed to have some level of self-governance. They wanted to make laws that would govern their activities within their respective states without any interference from the federal government (McPherson 157).
However, the conflict arose when the northern states believed that the federal government should have more power over every state to control commerce and taxation within the nation. Having the power to amend and implement their laws would enable most states in the United States of America to make decisions and govern their people independently without interference from other state officials or the federal government. This was because the northern states believed that the southern states were significantly interfering with their internal affairs, which was a great economic sabotage to most states (McPherson 148). The southern states argued that every state within the United States of America was supposed to be held accountable for advocating for laws that were perceived to be against human rights in the nation.
Industrial vs. Agricultural Economics
Another major factor contributing to increased conflict between the northern and southern states was the significant economic differences, which created more tension between the states from the two regions. The southern economy majorly relied upon agriculture, a greatly labor-intensive sector since it required a significant number of human resources, which led to increased levels of slavery (McPherson 159). An attempt by the northern states to fight slavery brought about conflict between the states in the two regions, with the southern states highlighting high levels of economic sabotage from the northern states.
On the other hand, the northern economy had an incredibly diverse economic system with positive performance in different sectors. This portrayed how the northern economy greatly influenced the American tax system, which made them take part in important decision-making processes in taxation. The major economic issue that ensued between the northern and southern states was tariffs (McPherson 168). The southern states highlighted that the high tariffs on imported goods greatly affected their agricultural sector, while the northerners were the major beneficiaries of the unfair tariffs (McPherson 160). The increased tension due to the economic differences brought about by unfair tariffs brought about conflicts between the two regions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War” offers a nuanced and insightful perspective on the motivations of Civil War soldiers and may help readers see the conflict in a new light. The book emphasizes the emotional bonds that soldiers formed with their comrades and the complex factors that shaped their worldviews, offering a more nuanced and multifaceted understanding of this pivotal moment in American history.