The American Civil WarThe American Civil War had a major impact on the course of the nation's history. Slavery was a major factor in the economy of the South and North of the United States: the South used slaves on cotton plantations and the North relied on the South to provide cotton to manufacture and trade. However, before the Civil War, people had begun to acquire the moral sense necessary to end slavery. Northerners believed in abolition, but the South relied on slavery to thrive. Tensions built between the two, until the South decided to secede or withdraw from the Union. Although both Northerners and Southerners believed strongly in their causes, the two sides had a different perspective on slavery that would spark the event of a deadly war. The period before the Civil War, also known as the Antebellum Years, was a time when America was growing. into a great nation. Industrialization was flourishing and the country's infrastructure was developing. However, even though this nation had become great, it was slowly beginning to break apart at this time. Northerners and Southerners disagreed on various issues such as states' rights, multiple tariffs, and, most importantly, the slavery debate. Although the two parts of the country were still linked within the United States of America, a division was beginning to show. The growth of this nation, both good and bad, during the antebellum years would end up playing a key role in the years to come. During the antebellum years (1820 to 1860), industrialization became a more popular thing. Many key inventions were created during this period, such as the telegraph and the railway system. Both provided a faster means of communication and transported... middle of paper ...... murdered. The war took a heavy toll on the entire nation: families were lost, businesses destroyed, and homes and buildings in need. repair. The Civil War was a very costly war, not only in money, but also in human lives. The Civil War was the costliest in American history, and it has remained a valuable part of it as America remembers not to fight its brothers. Works Cited Davidson, James W., Stoff, Michael B., America History of our Nation. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. 2006. Print. Doedon, Matt. The civil war. Mankato, Minn.: Capstone Press. 2010. Print. Weirder History Group. historynet.com. Pre-war period. and Web. May 1, 2014 Paul (no last name given). sonsofthesouth.net. The civil war. and Web. April 28, 2014 Mintz, S., McNeil, S.. digitalhistory.edu. Pre-Civil War Era and Civil War. and Web. April 27, 2014