Shabbar Kothari Does the Civil War represent a fundamental turning point in American History, and should it be classified

as the Second American Revolution?

The history and life of civilizations often has peculiarly similar characteristics to the life of human beings; consisting of an account where change is observed both gradually and abruptly. The Civil War and post-Civil War age in America was no different in that it set the stage for a great number of critical changes that sculpted a nation that is reflective of what the founding fathers had originally envisioned. Although many of the crucial economic, political and social changes that were introduced by this era came to full fruition about a century later, the fact remains that the Civil War was the trigger that propelled a Second American Revolution. A closer look demonstrates how over half a million people did not die in vain. There is little doubt in the fact that the notion of slavery (and consequently, the rights of African Americans) was arguably one of the most important issues that triggered a Civil War in America. However, it is compelling to think along Charles A. Beards view to that slavery and emancipation were almost incidental to the real causes and consequences of the war. The sectional conflict arose from the contending economic interests of plantation agriculture and industrializing capitalism. (McPherson, Pg 8) Therefore, under the economic lens, it was truly the First American revolution in that it brought about a prominent shift in the distribution of wealth and change in demographics when four million slaves turned in freedmen and later went about a migration toward the North in search for economic opportunities and better access to the American Dream.

Shabbar Kothari The age of Abraham Lincoln ushered in a number of pivotal changes in the political make-up of America. First and foremost, the Emancipation of Proclamation was an undeniable testament to the power and influence of legislative action. With a stroke of a pen, four million people were suddenly marked as free from bondage and were now faced with a liberating burden upon them, to seek a life for themselves. Historic accounts, such as the book entitled Redemption by Nicholas Lemann indicate that the defeated Confederates in the South were not prepared to accept such a change quietly. So sudden and radical was this constitutional stride that it led to the occurrence of tragic events such as the Colfax massacre of 1873 and the emergence of terrorist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan in the 1860s. However, though painfully tragic, the gory events that followed the Civil War and paradigm shifts such as the Emancipation of Proclamation were predictable in retrospect. Surely it cannot be expected that the institution of slavery was that legal on American soil prior to 1776 would be eradicated in the minds of the slave-owners overnight. This is especially true for white Southerners, who not only viewed African Americans as property, but considered their livelihoods to be closely associated with the ownership of slaves. Nevertheless, it was the Emancipation of Proclamation that first gave African Americans a concrete outlook of a free future for themselves and their children, as well as the confidence to expect to have economic, political and social influence in a country that they have resided in for generations. The Supremacy Clause has originally been part of the United States Constitution, allowing federal laws to be the highest form of law in the nation. The events of the Civil War era, however, truly reinforced the existence of this

Shabbar Kothari clause. Lincolns insistence on the nullification any attempt for secession is a strong example of federal supremacy over state rule. By waging a full-scale war upon the Southern Confederacy, he clearly highlighted the power of the Union and its resistance to the partitioning of the United States of America. Thus, the Civil War set a great platform for such a monumental constitutional change. Another pivotal document that was triggered by the occurrence of the Civil War was the Thirteenth Amendment. This was Lincolns second strike in the effort of the abolishment of slavery. To ensure that the people of America truly appreciated the eradication process of slavery, the Thirteenth Amendment was passed in 1864. This document, once again, officially abolished slavery and made it punishable by the law. Many skeptics argue that the Civil War brought did not bring about any significant change (except on paper) since the System of Oppression continued to be existent with the enactment of the Jim Crow laws between 1876 and 1965, essentially promoting inequality and segregation among blacks and whites. However, it was partially the revolutionary political (Emancipation of Proclamation, Thirteenth Amendment) that eventually gave way to highly influential personalities such as Ida B. Wells that turned the wheels of the Civil Rights movement. In time, this has led America to a stage where an African American politician such as Barrack Obama, who would have likely been terrorized by the Ku Klux Klan in the 1870s, has now taken office at the White House as president of the United States. As mentioned earlier, the Civil War and post-Civil war period also led to major Economic change. The Homestead Act of 1862, allowed Americans, especially freed slaves, an enormous economic opportunity, by being entitled to

Shabbar Kothari up to one-hundred and sixty acres of underdeveloped land of federal land primarily situated in the South. For newly freed African Americans who had chosen to migrate to the North in search of better livelihoods, this constituted to a suitable opportunity given that many of them only possessed agrarian skills and could flourish most in that area. By example of the events that took place during the Civil War, President Lincoln (and other Post-Civil war Presidents) displayed the power and influence of the federal government that was never seen before. The Civil War, therefore led to an enormous shift in Ideological Thinking in the United States. The emergence of the Emancipation of Proclamation, the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, led to shift the way Americans view the federal government. Despite facing great resistance from many Southerners, the period in question here led to movements that have shaped the definition of the influence of the leaders that constitute the federal government. Moreover, it has led to a culture of agreeing to disagree in a two-party political system. The American outlook toward politics today is to appreciate (perhaps unlike most Southerners in the post-Civil war era) that the majority is to be respected. In the age of a Democratic president, the Republicans in the political system accept the reality (while challenging many of the viewpoints of their counterparts) that the Democratic influence is ultimately greater. In conclusion, the number of Civil War and post-Civil War era witnessed Social, Political and Economic changes at a caliber that comfortably categorizes it as a true revolution in American history. For historians and other intellectuals today, it continues to be hotly debated as a fascinating and controversial period

Shabbar Kothari that has, though gradually, shaped America to be a better example of an egalitarian society in the modern world.