Was the American Civil War inevitible?

[jimmy olsen]

Assuming no changes earlier than 1815, was the American Civil War inevitable?

I say no. Gradual manumission in Virgina was plausible, and if that legislation had passed in the 1830s then Delaware, Maryland and Kentucky would have followed. Without Virginia and Kentucky beholden to the Deep South on the slavery issue they have no hope in congress or on the battlefield.

[Razgovory]

Every book I've read on the US has the civil war occurring, so yeah, I think so.

[Eddie Teach]

I don't think it was inevitable at any time before the war with Mexico.

[jimmy olsen]

Every book I've read on the US has the civil war occurring, so yeah, I think so.

So you're a determinist?

Do you believe in free will?

[mongers]

It was a necessary precursor to the internet wars of 1994-2014.

[grumbler]

Do you believe in free will?

We must believe in free will; we have no choice.   -Isaac Bashevis Singer

[Viking]

To the question in the OP. I think the Compromise of 1850 made the war inevitable. From that point on Slavery became part of the identity of certain states. Maintaining slavery became an implied obligation.

[Lettow77]

 Even past 1850, you could always just let the slave states go in peace.

[Neil]

To the question in the OP. I think the Compromise of 1850 made the war inevitable. From that point on Slavery became part of the identity of certain states. Maintaining slavery became an implied obligation.

I think that's reasonable.  It also allowed the Northern states to cleanse themselves of the taint of slavery, which was psychologically important to them.  Of course, then they turned around and exterminated and imprisoned all of the Indian population between the coasts, so it turns out that it really didn't matter.

[Viking]

Even past 1850, you could always just let the slave states go in peace.

unpossible - slavery is an abomination and the institution must be exterminated

[Lettow77]

But presumably not in Brazil or anywhere like that- specifically, slavery is an abomination in Tennessee and must be exterminated, right?

[Neil]

But presumably not in Brazil or anywhere like that- specifically, slavery is an abomination in Tennessee and must be exterminated, right?

We start with that which we know.

That's the beauty of the internet.  It allows to know about so many more abominations to get riled up about.

[MadImmortalMan]

Slavery ending was inevitable, but the war was not.

[Viking]

But presumably not in Brazil or anywhere like that- specifically, slavery is an abomination in Tennessee and must be exterminated, right?

You are aware that Brazil abolished slavery on it's own? In the decade after the US Civil War.

[Lettow77]

 That can't be. I don't remember hearing tell of the Union army conducting any prolonged invasions in the area, which would obviously be the indispensable precursor to any sort of abolishment of slavery.