The Southern and Northern states differed on many issues, which eventually led to the Civil War. There were profound economic, social, and political differences between the North and the South. These differences stemmed from both parties' interpretation of the United States Constitution. Eventually, all these disagreements over states' rights led to the Civil War. There were reasons other than slavery for the South to secede. Manifestations of division in America were many: utopian communities, conflicts over public space, anti-immigrant backlash, urban riots, black protest, and Indian resistance (Norton 234). America was a land divided and in need of reform, with the South needing it most. The South relied heavily on agriculture, unlike the North, which was highly populated and an industrialized society. The South grew cotton, which was its primary cash crop, and many Southerners knew that heavy reliance on slave labor would ultimately hurt the South, but their warnings went unheeded. The South was based on a totalitarian system. Constitutionally, the North favored a loose interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and wanted to grant greater power to the federal government. The South wanted to reserve all undefined powers to the individual states themselves. The South relied on slave labor for its economic well-being, while the Northern economy neither depended on such labor nor needed this type of service. This main problem overshadowed all others. Southerners compared slavery to the North's system of wage slavery and believed that their slaves received better care than Northern workers received from their employers. Many Southern preachers claimed that slavery was sanctioned in the Bible. Southern leaders had constantly tried to look for new areas where slavery could be extended (Oates 349). After the American Revolution, slavery began to decline in the North, just as it was becoming more popular in the South. By the turn of the century, seven of the northernmost states had abolished slavery. During this period, a wave of democratic reform spread from the North to the West, and calls were made for political equality and economic and social progress for all Americans. Northerners claimed that slavery revoked the human right to be a free person and as new territories became available I…middle of paper…according to opinion. We should remember the great sacrifices made by our fellow citizens during this time and appreciate their actions or efforts. Especially that of Abraham Lincoln. The best way to evaluate Lincoln's worth is to think about what the condition of the American would be like today if he had never lived or had never been president (Whitman 262). Yes, slavery was the cause of the Civil War, half the country thought it was wrong, and the other half simply couldn't let it go or continue. The war was fought overall in different locations and the monetary and property losses cannot be calculated. Will discussions about the causes and consequences of the Civil War, as well as the reasons for Northern victory, continue as long as there are historians to wield the pen? which is, perhaps also because of this bloody conflict, more powerful than the sword (Oates 388). The civil war was a great waste in terms of human lives and possible achievements and should be considered shameful. Before its first centennial, a tragedy struck a new country and changed it for eternity. He will never be forgotten, but adversity creates strength and the United States of America is now a much stronger nation 388).