At the time when Abraham Lincoln was elected the president of the country, the condition of America was very deplorable. Differences and hatred between the North and the South America were continuing as usual.
Feeling the necessity of unity during war time some differences was patched up for a short while but they emerged again during peace time. There was a lot of economic and political selfishness after all these differences.
The northern states were industrialists whereas the southern were agriculturists, therefore, the policy which was beneficial for the north, was harmful for the southern people. Hence tension always existed between the two.
The people who entered the politics after the death of leaders like Washington, Hamilton and Jefferson were not lacking in efficiency but they were not completely devoted to their country. They paid greater attention to the fulfillment of their selfish ends.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Situation became all the more critical on the issue of the slave system between the northern and southern states of America. Various attempts were made to solve this problem.
Among those who worked against the slave system the names of Senator Henry Clay, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Abraham Lincoln need special mention. These differences could not be sorted out and by 1860 they became intractable.
There was no possibility of compromise between the two. The South broke her relations with the Union, as a result of which in 1861 America got involved in a Civil War which has been considered as one of the biggest Civil Wars in the world history.