Comments on: The Confederacy’s Plan to Conquer Latin America

By: Josiah

Josiah — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:19:58 +0000

Rodney C. above hit the nail on the head.

The Civil War, as most wars in history, was fought for the money. Slavery only became an issue about half-way through it when it became politically expedient for Lincoln to abolish it.

Lincoln above all else wished to save the Union. Slavery meant nothing to him.

“My paramount object, is to save the Union, and not either destroy or save slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing the slaves, I would do it. If I could save the Union by freeing some and leaving others in slavery, I would do it. If I could save it by freeing all, I would do that. What I do about slavery and the colored race, I do because it helps save the Union.” — Abraham Lincoln

I am glad slavery was abolished, but please stop making the mistake of claiming the Civil War was about slavery.

By: James

James — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:05:58 +0000

Racial barriers ending in America will only happen when white supremacy ceases to be economical. Until then, it is business as usual, no matter what comes out of Oprah or Bill Cosby mouth.

By: Alec

Alec — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:31:04 +0000

Something most people forget is Lincoln’s power over the Southern States.

He had none. He was president of the Union, but the Confederate States were a separate country at that point, recognized by others in the world (including the UK and France)This fact sheds light on two points most teachers try to gloss over.
1.) It technically was not a “Civil War” a civil war is a war between two factions within one country. This was a war between two separate countries. “The War Between the States” is the more accurate name. Of course, “The War against Northern Aggression” or “The War against Yankee Oppression” also work ;)
2.)Lincoln was not president of the COnfederacy, so he had no power over the CSA when he made his Emancipation Proclamation. It’s akin to Obama declaring that all British citizens are now Americans. He can say it until he’s blue in the face, but he is completely powerless to make it so, and no one is going to listen.
3.) Something I forgot to list, one would be well advised to look into the events leading up to the attack on Ft. Sumpter. Lincoln was not going to declare war. But he was not against pushing the South into a position where THEY had to fire the first shots. Then he could step in and declare open war. The South wanted to secede without fighting. The Northern forces outnumbered the Southern by a great degree and had all the major manufacturing plants. They were more numerous, and better armed and equipped. Yet the fighting still took 4 years and for a while it looked like the South would win. I

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:35:49 +0000

Yes the war was over economic issuses but the root of those economic issues was the difference between the industrial North and agricultural South. Slavery was a key issue in economic battle. So while the war was about economics, slavery was a major issue as well. It is hard to boil the war down to one cause. It is disengenuous to exclude slavery as a cause because of the importance slavery in the Southern economic structure.

By: dale

dale — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:53:00 +0000

wow guys hear what happened the south feared Lincoln would end their way of life he freed the slaves in any states who joined the confederates to help bring blacks into the fighting. ironically the south would of probably kept slavery longer if they had not separated. but thankfully they acted stupidly and allowed this country to join the rest of the civilized world by ending slavery. I think we would of failed in that act long term because the larger your turf the harder it is to keep together just look at the soviet union.

By: Debra

Debra — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:07:00 +0000

I agree, I’m American of Mexican heritage. It got into slavery because I don’t really remember a lot I learned in school about this but Lincoln gets lots and lots of praise and just wondering if it’s justified. I understand the parts about conquering Latin America- I just figured people could school me on here…
So, Lincoln only freed the southern? How long did it take to free the rest and was that Lincoln? and this is why I brought up slavery up there…there were also Mexican slaves brought over and were used as maids, fruit pickers, landscapers…Conquering Latin America is a fascinating subject to me.

By: Kev in GA

Kev in GA — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Thanks Bill. I share your feelings on ending racial barriers. If we insist on pointing out the differences we never see where we are the same. There is nothing wrong with being proud of ones heritage but we should be most proud of the fact we are american. Even with it’s problems, it is still the best nation in the world.

By: Bill

Bill — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:17:00 +0000

Somehow the title, “The Confederacy’s Plan to Conquer Latin America”, turned to slavery. Well we now have a black president elect. This is history and maybe, just maybe, it will end up being possitive history.
I would also like to note: I used the term “black” and not African American. I am against this term. I have mixed roots but am still an American. What ever origin I have I am an American.
I would hope that the beginning of the end of racial barriers would be that those of us born in this country are Americans regardless of where our heritage came from.

By: Rodney C.

Rodney C. — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:06:00 +0000

What people don’t know about the Civil War from both the North and South’s point of view can fill volumns of books. I do Civil War Reenacting and I have learned so much from being in this club it is amazing. For the Civil War to have been such a big part of our Country’s history there is so much of it left out of the classrooms. Least now it is being taught that Slavery wasn’t the main issue and that the mighty dollar was. It was a war of economics. Pure and simple. Slavery became a side issue about midway into the war. Most Southerners and Northerners could have cared less about slavery as most either did not own slaves or it didn’t impact them. And Lincoln did not free the slaves in the Northern states, only the southern states.

By: Sancho Whitehead

Sancho Whitehead — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:31:00 +0000

President of Mexico Benito Juárez (a full-blooded Zapotec Indian born on March 21, 1806, in the Oaxaca village of San Pablo Gueletao, Oaxaca, MEXICO.)found John T. Pickett guilty of being an illegal alien and threw the confederate rebel into a Mexico City jail for thirty days and then expelled him from the country. Mexico would have to wait about 150 to get KFC.