Contrasting cultural folkways in pre-Civil War America (nineteenth century, secession, slavery)

The American Civil War Era is one of the most studied subjects of American history. There exists an abundance of research done on the various military campaigns. In contrast, however, works stating the causes of the conflict are not as numerous. Understanding the reasons why people go to war seems to be a more profitable exercise than understanding the way wars are fought. Of equal importance is understanding the attitude of the masses of society in combination with their political and military leaders.; This thesis will explore the cultural folkways of the American people on many levels of society in the decades prior to the Civil War. These folkways will be compared and contrasted to gain a better understanding as to why a people living under the umbrella of one national government and seemingly so similar in values chose to go to war against one another.