Question

Why are the following statements myths?
-It was the North's destiny to win the Civil War.
-The Civil War was fought over slavery.

Answer 1

First of all the, "It was the North's destiny to win the Civil war." What is the first thing you notice about this statement that is odd?

Answer 2

no such thing as destiny? idk

Answer 3

and the civil war was fought over slavery...

Answer 4

@joethekidd34 , it was fought only partly over slavery.

Answer 5

i thought that... i don't understand this question

Answer 6

Slavery was just the issue most publicized, so that Lincoln could play on the states sense of compassion to join his "Team".

Answer 7

I would say sectionalism would be the main issue. Slavery really is more of a puppet than anything else.

And the North was at an advantage to win, since the South sucks at getting infrastructure created.

Answer 8

Destiny only applies if you are Calvinistic though ^^

Answer 9

so, @inkyvoyd you're saying that neither of them are myths?

Answer 10

I BELIEVE that the civil war was mainly fought over the slavery and because of the slavery the southern states wanted to separate itself from the north... am i correct with that if not please explain

Answer 11

No, I'm just complaining about the first. The first is a PHILOSOPHY question really. I can say that I was DESTINED to look at this question because I did. Someone might disagree. It all depends on if you take the universe to be predeterministic.

The second question is badly phrased. The Civil war was fought PARTLY under slavery but slavery was more of a puppet to get the sides to fight each other. Think about it - if the Civil war was really fought over slavery, why did we need a civil rights movement years after? Obviously there were more issues at hand, and slavery was only one of them.

Answer 12

so, @joethekidd34 you're saying that it wasnt the north's destiny because the south wanted the war to seperate so they could keep slavery?

Answer 13

@joethekidd34 , that's not really accurate in my opinion. The South wanted more than slavery. They wanted to impose their beliefs on the North, as the North did the South. The north to the south were considered dirty because they cared about industry and trade, and they argued (truthfully) that some factory workers had worse than slave conditions.

Answer 14

i dont believe there is a such thing as destiny... because you can change everything with just one decision... my example is... i can choose to do my school work and be successful in life or i can choose to drop out and live a life of crime...

Answer 15

A good reason that slavery was used in the north is because the whigs were divided among many issues (I believe), and slavery was pretty much the one thing the North (and whigs esseentially) could agree with, not necessarily for the moral reasons, but more so for other reasons.

Answer 16

"Drop out and live a life of crime" So you do believe in destiny then? Because, it must be a "dropouts" destiny to live a life of crime.

Answer 17

@HelennnnnnC , @joethekidd34 's statement is a perfect reason the first question is just plain dumb. if I believed in destiny, I could argue that joe is destined to make a choice although he does not know what it is, and that he is either destined to succeed or not. The first question is made by a biased teacher with poor neutrality.

Answer 18

And, looking in retrospect, the North WAS destined to win the Civil War, in my opinion. Why? Because they did.

Answer 19

@inkyvoyd You sir are getting a medal+fan from me.

Answer 20

hahaha guys, im not really looking for an existentialist over whether or not there is such a thing as destiny! i just need help answering this stupid, and apparently poorly written, questions! :)

Answer 21

*existentialist debate

Answer 22

If you read the paragraphs that were written you have more than two answers, it is just a matter to choose what YOU believe is right.

Answer 23

Well, I would start answering the first question by noting the advantages the South held over the north - and even more so you could argue that the South didn't lose the Civil war, because certain southern beliefs were still held after the war. For instance, freed slaves were still little more than pawns post war.

As for the second myth, I believe that I have given you a lead on why slavery is a commonly miscited "reason" for the civil war.

Answer 24

thank you all so much! :)

Answer 25

Look, these questions are just stupid. I think your teacher needs to word these better, as in their current state. There is no right or wrong answer, these are purely opinion based questions. I think @inkyvoyd would agree with me.

Answer 26

Yeah, @Taylor_VonHackworth . I thought my history teacher was bad at teaching, but at least his teaching philosophy is better than this. He never claims such bold things - in fact, the first day of school he said that history is based upon interpretation of primary and secondary documents, and as such is an ambiguous field...

Ha, that's why I'm going into STEM hehe.

Answer 27

I bid this question adieu.

Answer 28

me too! @Taylor_VonHackworth

Answer 29

Yup, as I wish I could do the same to my habit of derailing things.