Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Monday, March 27
    Trending
    • This Day in History on March 27th
    • This Day in History on March 26th
    • This Day in History on March 25th
    • This Day in History on March 24th
    • History Short: Has Any US President Ever Been Arrested?
    • This Day in History on March 23rd
    • R.I.P. Lance Reddick (1962-2023)
    • This Day in History on March 22nd
    History and Headlines
    • Arts & Entertainment
      • Cinema & TV
      • Games
      • Literature
      • Music
      • Sports
      • Video Games
    • Bizarre Bulletin
      • Misconceptions
      • The Bizarre
      • The Paranormal
      • The Unexplained
    • Lifestyle
      • Animals/Pets
      • Fashion
      • Food
      • Health/Medicine
      • Home Improvement
      • Horoscopes
      • Travel
    • Science & Tech
      • Inventions
      • Nature
      • Vehicles
    • Society
      • Business and Economics
      • Crime
      • Military
      • Politics
      • Religion
      • Society
    • About
      • Welcome to Our Site!
      • This Day in History
      • Table of Contents: A History of the World
      • Online History Textbooks
      • A Guide to Some of Our Favorite Scholars and Educators
      • Advance Screenings and Movie Reviews Archive
      • Schedule of Video Adaptations of Our Articles
    • Friends
      • Armchair History TV
      • Fact Fiend
      • RealClearHistory
      • Simply Charly
      • TopTenz
      • ​Unique Interpretations
    History and Headlines
    You are at:Home»May»May 9»The Lost Cause? No!
    May 9

    The Lost Cause? No!

    Major DanBy Major DanMay 9, 2021Updated:July 5, 2021No Comments8 Mins Read
    Email Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit Telegram Tumblr Twitter VKontakte WhatsApp
    American Civil War

    A Brief History

    On May 9, 1865, the American Civil War ended, or did it?  Historians acknowledge that exact starting and ending dates of wars are open to debate, and likewise, so are the causes and reasons those wars were fought.  In the case of the American Civil War, April 1861 to May 1865, the “cause” of Southern independence is a controversial and contentious subject even to this day.  The main debate centers on whether or not slavery, that “peculiar institution,” was the main cause of the war and the reason for fighting such a costly conflict.  Revisionist “historians” have tried mightily over the years to justify the Confederacy and their “Lost Cause,” which serious historians have repeatedly debunked.

    Digging Deeper

    The so called “Lost Cause” is a construct of revisionist history that makes the case that slavery as practiced in the American South was a benevolent institution that was mutually beneficial to the master and the slave, and furthermore, contributed to the general wealth of the United States.  A mythology about the chivalrous nature of the Southern gentleman farmer and general social superiority of the Southern White population was promulgated and reinforced by a vigorous campaign over several decades to erect Confederate monuments and name many places after Confederate heroes.  Statistics about how few Southern White people actually owned slaves was used to undermine the notion that the Civil War was fought over the issue of slavery, although such numbers grossly misrepresent the reality of the situation in the South.  Since only the head of the household was likely to be listed as the slave owner, the several others in his family that benefited from the slave holding were technically not slave owners, but in reality were indeed people that were benefiting from the institution of slavery and living the lifestyle afforded by such human bondage.

    While American African slaves may not have been treated as consistently harshly as sometimes depicted in television and movie productions, neither were they “happy” as the revisionist Southern mythology would have you believe.  Otherwise, escape attempts via the Underground Railroad would not have existed, nor would freed slaves readily accept their freedom.  Other major countries had already abolished slavery by the time of the American Civil War, which greatly undermines the argument that this hateful practice was somehow the norm in the world at the time.  Examples of when various countries abolished slavery include Japan-1590, Russia-1679 (field slaves converted to serfs), Russia-1723 (house slaves converted to serfs), Norway-Denmark-1848 (in the colonies), France-1794 (reinstituted in colonies in 1802, ended for good in 1848), Spain-1811, Netherlands-1814, British Empire-1833-1834, and the Catholic Church-1839.  All major European countries had already abolished slavery by 1861, and the world view that slavery was “wrong” was a common belief accepted by civilized people all over the world.

    Another fact that belies the storyline that slavery was not the main or even a main issue leading to the secession of the Confederate States from the United States is found in the documents announcing the secession of those various states.  In fact EVERY Southern state that seceded to join the Confederate States of America prominently cited slavery as an issue of contention leading to secession.  A few examples of such blatant references to slavery include the following statement by George Smoote of Arkansas, “Resolved, that the platform on the party known as the Black Republican Party contains unconstitutional dogmas, dangerous in their tendency and highly derogatory to the rights of slave states, and among them the insulting, injurious and untruthful enunciation of the right of the African race of their country to social and political equality with the whites.”  Virginia noted in its declaration of secession, “Lincoln’s opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery.”  The Alabama legislature drafted a letter that included, “it is the desire and purpose of the people of Alabama to meet the Slaveholding States of the South, who may approve such purpose, in order to frame a provisional as well as permanent government upon the principles of the Constitution of the United States.”  South Carolina complained that President Lincoln held “opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery.”  Texas invoked the will of God in their rationalization for secession, “based upon the unnatural feeling of hostility to these Southern States and their beneficent and patriarchal system of African slavery, proclaiming the debasing doctrine of equality of all men, irrespective of race or color—a doctrine at war with nature, in opposition to the experience of mankind, and in violation of the plainest revelations of the Divine Law.”  Any attempt to pretend that slavery was not the “States’ Rights” when the cause of State’s Rights is cited as leading to the Civil War is just plain wrong.  Slavery may not have been the only issue, but it was indeed by far the biggest and most contentious issue of them all.

    Cognizant of the emotional response that slavery evoked in Southern White Americans, President Lincoln, though morally opposed to slavery, was not in any hurry to justify the fears of the seceding states by promoting the abolition of slavery.  Not until it became politically expedient based on the military situation, did Lincoln issue his Emancipation Proclamation in September of 1862.  The issuance of his executive order that freed the slaves in Confederate states only, leaving slavery intact in Missouri, Kentucky, Delaware and Maryland, slave states that did not secede, was engineered to place the United States in the role of the moral upper hand making other European countries that had already abolished slavery unwilling to openly support the Confederate States of America, and giving Americans a moral basis for fighting for the Union.  Had the Confederate states not placed such a high value on slavery, they could have ended the Civil War at any time prior to their actual surrender in 1865, thus potentially saving many thousands of lives and hundreds of ruined cities.

    Thus, not only was slavery the precipitating reason for secession by the Southern/slave states, but the abolition of slavery also later became the driving force behind the Northern war effort as well.  Despite continued modern attempts to keep alive the myth of the “Lost Cause,” and fierce opposition to the removal of Confederate names and likenesses from schools, places, installations and monuments, the overwhelming trend is to debunk this persistent myth and to relegate the “Lost Cause” to a place of indifference or even shame instead of being a treasured part of American heritage.

    An Afterword: While we do not disagree with removing Confederate monuments and names from public places, we also believe that like it or not, the Confederate period and Antebellum South is part of the American heritage and should be preserved, perhaps in museums or on private property, so as not to be destroyed as part of a mindless attempt to erase the past.  History is history, whether one agrees with what happened or not, and only by preserving historical accounts and relics can society understand its past and perhaps shed light on its future.  

    Question for students (and subscribers): Do you believe states have a right to secede?  Please let us know in the comments section below this article.

    If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!

    Your readership is much appreciated!

    Historical Evidence

    For more information, please see…

    Adams, Charles.  When in the Course of Human Events: Arguing the Case for Southern Secession.  Rowman & Littlefield, 2004.

    Gigantino II, James J., ed.  Slavery and Secession in Arkansas: A Documentary History (The Civil War in the West).  University of Arkansas Press, 2015.

    Marshall, Anne E.  Creating a Confederate Kentucky: The Lost Cause and Civil War Memory in a Border State.  Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2010.

    Mitcham Jr., Samuel W.  It Wasn’t About Slavery: Exposing the Great Lie of the Civil War.  Regnery History, 2021.

    Pollard, Edward. The Lost Cause: A New Southern History of the War of the Confederates. CreateSpace, 2014.

    Seidule, Ty.  Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. St. Martin’s Press, 2021.

    Wood, Gordon S.  Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early American Republic, 1789-1815.  New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

    The featured image in this article, a photograph by Edyth Carter Beveridge of George Washington Custis Lee, 1832-1913, on horseback, with staff reviewing Confederate Reunion Parade in Richmond, Va., June 3, 1907, in front of monument to Jefferson Davis, is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1926, and if not then due to lack of notice or renewal. See this page for further explanation.

    You can also watch a video version of this article on YouTube.

    Share. Email Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit Telegram Twitter Tumblr
    Previous ArticleYour Chance to Receive Fandango Movie Tickets for Those Who Wish Me Dead
    Next Article Happy Mother’s Day 2021 and More!
    Major Dan

    Major Dan is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.

    Related Posts

    History Short: Has Any US President Ever Been Arrested?

    March 24, 2023

    Animated Map of the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine (through March 20th, 2023)

    March 20, 2023

    History Short: Is Nuclear Power Safe?

    March 12, 2023
    Follow Us!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Patreon
    Sign Up For Our Newsletter!
    Most Recent

    This Day in History on March 27th

    March 27, 2023

    This Day in History on March 26th

    March 26, 2023

    This Day in History on March 25th

    March 25, 2023

    This Day in History on March 24th

    March 24, 2023

    History Short: Has Any US President Ever Been Arrested?

    March 24, 2023
    This Day in History Video

    Advertisements




    Amazon Affiliate Disclosure Statement

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases via links in the “Historical Evidence” sections of articles.

    About HistoryAndHeadlines.com

    Thanks for visiting History and Headlines!  This site exists primarily for educational purposes and is intended as a resource for Dr. Zar’s students.  Articles are mostly written by either Dr. Zar or his dad (Major Dan).  To any guest readers, please keep that in mind when commenting on articles.   Thank you!

    We try to present our students with historical topics that are both diverse and a bit out of the ordinary.  Our motto is “We try until we succeed!”

    Contact us at admin@historyandheadlines.com

    Guidelines and Policies for Images used on This Site, as well as for Guest and Sponsored Articles, and Other Terms of Use

    Privacy Statement

    © 2023 History and Headlines

    All-Time Most Commented

    July 28, 1866: 18 Year Old Girl Wins Commission to Sculpt Statue of Lincoln (A Truly Great American Woman)

    July 28, 2014

    December 24, 1865: Birth of the Ku Klux Klan

    December 24, 2015

    December 25, 1868: President Johnson Pardons all Confederate Veterans

    December 25, 2015

    February 5, 1909: First Plastic Invented was called Bakelite!

    February 5, 2014

    November 23, 1876: “Boss” Tweed Turned Over to Authorities

    November 23, 2013
    Recommended Book
    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

    You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

    History and Headlines
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.