The other civil war Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The other civil war - Assignment Example This was especially so during economic crisis such as that of 1837, 1857 and 1873. The government and the courts often acted in favor of merchants, businessmen, speculators and capitalists at the expense of workers especially women and blacks thus they continued suffering. This is evidenced by the failure of Anti-Renter movement in 1839, the Dorr rebellion of 1841 for electoral reforms, and flour riots of 1837. In 1850s, money and profit had taken center stage but all that was reported were slavery issues. During the civil war, national issues took center stage over class issues although it was clear that a social revolution was in the offing due to increased strikes. The Morrill tariff, Homestead Act and contract labor law all served to benefit businessmen with cheap labor and high prices for products. After the war, national federations of unions were formed but concentrated on political issues. Examples were the First International and Workmen’s party urging for a socialist republic. Blacks also formed their own unions. However, the federal troops stopped such efforts by killing and jailing many workers. In the end the working class was unable to overthrow the wealthy and ruling class. The article was very helpful in understanding class struggles in the society before and after the civil war and how such struggles were overtaken by slavery, race issues and the civil war itself. These issues are often given importance over class struggles. A good example of class struggle was that of sheriffs and tenants leading to rent uprisings in 1830s and 1840s. Leaders of such Anti-Rent movements were silenced by life imprisonment. The struggle was between the rich and poor whites hence issues of slavery and race did not materialize yet they are the ones mostly written about in history books. Zinn also attributes racial and religious animosity to class struggles. He explains the hatred for blacks,