Internal Split
Date: lasted from 1861-1865
Reason: With new states and territory being controlled by the United States of America after the Mexican American War, the balance of Slave and Free states was disturbed. The rising tensions over the issue of slavery was then the leading cause over the split.
Congress attempted to find a compromise, which was in the form of the Compromise of 1850 and other policies to rid themselves of the issue such as Popular Sovereignty. However, since the Compromise of 1850 appealed to extremes, northerners and southerners disagreed over it. In addition, the idea of Popular Sovereignty allowed "Bloody Kansas" to occur.
Result: With several Southern States leaving the Union and forming the Confederate States of America, President Lincoln viewed them as rebelling states. In the end, it was believed that a war was the necessary mean to quell the rebellion.
This event is an important part of United States history as it was the first step in equality. The split means that there are more Americans believing that Slavery is bad, which demonstrates how the American people are on the right track.
This would then shape the American identity of freedom and equality.
