Nathan Sanders

History 1700
3 July 2015
Prof. Feveryear

American Revolution #2
According to Dictionary.com a Revolution means, a forcible overthrow of a government
or social order in favor of a new system. Would Second Revolution be appropriate to describe
the Civil war? In the Civil War a government was definitely forcibly overthrown. Specifically the
Southern government, but which side was really trying to overthrow the other. I think it was
really a failed attempt at a revolution by the Confederate States.
The American Revolution was fought over Liberty and Freedom. America at the time
was, of course, England's colonies. After the colonies were heavily taxed and killed, in the case
of the Boston Massacre, Americans wanted freedom. They had an idea of freedom that they grew
up with in the back of their minds. When England tried to take away these freedoms through
taxation and forcing citizens to house British troops and passing laws such as the Stamp Act,
Americans decided to do something about it and the American Revolution was started.
Eventually America became independent and grew into what America is today.
The story of the Civil War is so similar but seems to be on a different front. The North
and South were divided largely by demographics and ideas. The South had a huge part of their
economy and income based on slave labor. The Northern States wanted nothing to do with
slavery. According to Civilwar.org, the war was largely fought based on States rights. The
South thought it was its right to have slaves. Also another huge cause included the election of
Abraham Lincoln. The South wanted state power and the North was more about one Union. The

differing of ideas, on mostly rights of states, between the North and the South caused the
secession.
The South declared it would secede one state at a time. Each state that seceded wasnt
forced by the Confederate government to secede, but rather each state had its own choice in the
matter. The South decided it was better off as its own country so each state could make its own
laws. The North couldnt allow this. The breaking up of the Union would tear apart an entire
nation. Thus, the Civil War was born. It was fought over the idea of succession. The North
argued the South had no right to secede. The South argued that the Constitution never stated that
secession was illegal and the North was being unfair to the states. It wasnt till after the South
seceded that secession actually was made illegal.
The Civil War was almost as deadly, to Americans, as all other major American wars
combined. This shows just how much both the North and the South believed in their cause.
According to Civilwar.org, 620,000 Americans were killed in this single war. Brother sometimes
fought against brother. Father sometime fought against son. Neighbors and friends were killing
each other because of their loyalty to their state of country. In my opinion, the Souths defeat was
inevitable. They were outnumbered almost 2 to 1 in the total size of the armies. They finally
surrendered and the bloody war came to an abrupt end.
The Civil war could be called the Second American Revolution, but it would be more
appropriately called the Failed Revolution. The Confederates wanted to be their own country and
failed to make that happen. The North, through great numbers, money, and power stopped the
Confederates revolution. Instead of the South becoming it own country the North was able to
preserve the Union.

Works Cited
Definition of Revolution acquired from doctionary.co
Facts and stats aquired through Civilwar.org