United States, at the Beginning of 1855,

¶ … United States, at the beginning of 1855, seemed to be the strongest it had ever been with Western expansion, a flourishing economic outlook, and thousands of new immigrants bringing their hard work to America's newest factories and fields. However, the tension was mounting politically, tension that would lead to an inevitable, long-suffering war that killed thousands of Americans, and changed the landscape of our nation forever. The climax came when Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860, and the Civil War became unavoidable from that moment on.

Before the election of 1860, many tumultuous happenings caused panic, depression, and conflicts between Americans. For example, 1855 saw what was later pegged the "Bleeding at Kansas," during which pro- and anti-slavery citizens clashed (p. 428). The fight that ensued over Kansas in Congress as well as territorially brought forth the notion that slavery tensions would not be easily controlled.

1857 saw an end to the financial security and esteem that had fueled America's growth in the past couple of years. The Dred Scott Case was pending in the Supreme Court, and when Chief Justice Taney read his decision in March of 1957, his declarations caused waves in both the North and the South.

By the time the elections of 1860 came around, the entire nation knew how vital this election would be to the tone of relations between the North and the South. Citizens were not sure whether the election could calm the fights, and resolve what had been happening in the past five years, or if the election would cause an all-out war between the North and the South. Stephen Douglas apparently warned that such actions might occur, while Abraham Lincoln and John Breckinridge "downplayed any such dire consequence, insisting, and believing, that the other side was bluffing" (450).

The Richmond "Enquirer," on the day before the election of 1860, called the election "the most important and exciting...in which American citizens will have ever participated" in, noting that their "constitutional rights" were engaged in "warfare" by "Black Republican enemies, headed by their standard-bearer, Abe Lincoln" ("Enquirer," 11/06/1860). With that having been said, the "Enquirer" then supported the Breckinridge ticket, and exclaimed that the "destiny of this great American Union is now in the hands of the people...upon the result hangs the hopes of the nation for all time to come" ("Enquirer," 11/06/1860). No one could have predicted how true those words would be, when Lincoln was elected President, and a little more than a month later, on December 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first Southern state to leave the Union (450-452). Within six weeks, six more Southern states joined South Carolina (452).

South Carolina's decision to secede from the Union was expected, because there had been talk amongst South Carolina's legislature from the day after Lincoln was elected (451). In Charleston's paper, the Mercury, a November 8, 1860 article declared that the "Association of 1860 immediately assembled, and arrangements have been made for a public meeting to endorse the action of the Legislature in the call of a State Convention to assemble as soon practicable." (Mercury, 11/08/1860) South Carolinians seemed anxious, almost excited that Lincoln had won, because now they could proceed with their revolutionary plans. South Carolina did not want to act alone, however, which caused them to move forward somewhat cautiously, and with ample planning.

Before Lincoln could even take office, secession rallies began erupting across the Southern states. Because of their immense supporters, the elected secession delegates of South Carolina decided to move ahead earlier than planned, on December 20, 1860 (451). The following year in February, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Louisiana followed suit (451).

Lincoln's Presidential Inaugural Address was meant to calm the fears of Southerners, along with smooth over the immediate threats to peace, while buying time in the hopes that a resolution could be worked out (454). He attempted to calm a fear that "seems to exist among the people of the Southern States that by the accession of a Republican Administration their property and their peace and personal security are to be endangered...never been any reasonable cause for such" (Inaugural Address). He continued declaring that, "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists...I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so" (Inaugural Address). In his closing statements, Lincoln stated that In 'your' hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in 'mine', is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail 'you'. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. 'You' have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to "preserve, protect, and defend it." (Inaugural Address) which was seen to some southerners as a threat of violence against their secession. Many felt it was a "potent mixture of firmness and generosity" while others chose to interpret his speech as further evidence that the secessions must continue (454). Regardless of how it was construed, Lincoln's election was no sooner declared official before the breakdown of America as it was known began.