The Civil War brought about rapid economic changes in the United States. The war has also been credited to bringing about the Industrial Revolution. To fully understand the Civil War you must first understand the causes for its initial outbreak. Four decades of great sectional conflict between the Northern and Southern regions of the country were the underlying cause of the Civil War. Deep political, social, and economical differences between the two regions fueled the battle.
The South's views were those of a region desiring to become an independent nation. Their succession from the Union was necessary, they believed, to achieve the type of government they desired. They chose to interpret the constitution in such a way that would allocate all excess power to the individual states. They did not support the country-wide expansion of roads, railroads, and canals. They were also against any federal subsidies to support shipping and internal improvements. These measures were seen as discriminatory to the South. They also felt betrayed by the North's desire to develop a tariff because it would hinder their ability to trade cotton for foreign goods. .
The North's views reflect a region desiring to hold the Union together as one country. They felt it unconstitutional for any state or states to secede from the Union for any reason. Their main goal was to hold the union together. The North favored a loose interpretation of the Constitution, granting increases powers to the federal government. The North also felt the need for increased internal improvements, such as the expansion of roads, railroads, and canals. They also favored a good banking and currency system and federal subsidies for shipping and internal improvements. The North also wanted a tariff to protect the northern manufacturer.
Of course the main underlying reason for the outbreak of the civil war was the issue of slavery.
