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cab67

(3,744 posts)

14. I've always been struck by how slavery derailed Confederate foreign policy.

Tue Jul 14, 2015, 04:00 AM

Jul 2015

The CSA was desperate for foreign recognition. Formal recognition by the UK would have opened up the possibility of British intervention and would have impacted the status of the Federal blockade.

It's true that the UK, France, and other countries were looking for substantial Southern victories. But the Eastern Theater was essentially one southern victory after another up until Gettysburg. UK prime minister Palmerston was openly pro-Confederacy. The only thing that really kept the UK from formally recognizing the Confederacy was slavery. Abolition was an even stronger political force there than in the northern US.

Had the Confederacy given up slavery, they'd have had British (and probably French) recognition in a month. They didn't even have to establish an egalitarian society - it's not as though the British Empire was egalitarian at the time. But the Confederacy just couldn't let it go, much to their detriment.

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The Civil War Really Was About Slavery. Really. It Was. [View all] whereisjustice Jul 2015 OP

And the north promoted segregation, kept blacks from voting for nearly a century... 951-Riverside Jul 2015 #1

I think you missed the point Scootaloo Jul 2015 #4

That's pretty much a really poorly constructed straw man. Igel Jul 2015 #17

show where slavery was about to be defeated by Congress and Lincoln... whereisjustice Jul 2015 #19

Well, Northern Supreme Court justices did promote segregation Art_from_Ark Jul 2015 #6

K & R & bookmarked! SunSeeker Jul 2015 #2

This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Jul 2015 #3

Yes, it was about money alright. cemaphonic Jul 2015 #16

Slaves and money is what it was about fasttense Jul 2015 #60

in "gone with the wind", rhett butler points out, before the war is declared, that all niyad Jul 2015 #23

Agreed floyd1 Jul 2015 #5

Thank you for all that work. Bookmarking. Yes, the Civil War was about slavery. merrily Jul 2015 #7

I've never talked to anyone or read about this, but I was annoyed at Shelby Foote's attitude in C Moon Jul 2015 #8

Read his books rtracey Jul 2015 #26

I was harsh, thanks. I reworded it. C Moon Jul 2015 #27

Frankly, there are about 400 million people out there with a large percentage jtuck004 Jul 2015 #9

They want to claim the Confederacy was about "Southern hospitality" too.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #10

K&R flamingdem Jul 2015 #11

Thank you, whereisjustice, for all your work pulling this together. n/t pnwmom Jul 2015 #12

Every State had Cryptoad Jul 2015 #13

Were you taught in school Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #43

No,,, I was taught the lie that Cryptoad Jul 2015 #57

This message was self-deleted by its author Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #67

Here in Nashville, I was taught it was fought over slavery as that was the hottest Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #68

After i got old enough not to believe Cryptoad Jul 2015 #72

That makes it sound like the Southern and border states were arguing against state power Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #73

My understanding is Cryptoad Jul 2015 #74

I've always been struck by how slavery derailed Confederate foreign policy. cab67 Jul 2015 #14

excellent summary LittleGirl Jul 2015 #15

As a white southerner, I'm tired of hearing the excuses. Thank God we lost the wr 7962 Jul 2015 #18

Secession was definitely about slavery. The war that followed had more complex reasons behind it onenote Jul 2015 #20

The war was started because the North would not cooperate with the South regarding slavery whereisjustice Jul 2015 #24

k and r and bookmarking, and sharing, widely. niyad Jul 2015 #21

Of course it was. The only thing they say today is it was economic - of course - they were jwirr Jul 2015 #22

Besides the rich rtracey Jul 2015 #25

1.7 % of the pop.owned slaves maindawg Jul 2015 #29

yup rtracey Jul 2015 #31

Actually, a lot of the Confederate soldiers who didn't own slaves KitSileya Jul 2015 #66

What maindawg wrote kydo Jul 2015 #33

1.7%? Not even close to accurate ThoughtCriminal Jul 2015 #44

ok I checked it maindawg Jul 2015 #59

Still misleading ThoughtCriminal Jul 2015 #69

It was more than 1.7% in southern states gollygee Jul 2015 #46

Excellent OP! Spazito Jul 2015 #28

The case of North Carolina is interesting struggle4progress Jul 2015 #30

In between was Lincoln's monumental blunder Yupster Jul 2015 #55

Lincoln's call for militia troops, after the attack on Fort Sumner, was based on the Militia Act struggle4progress Jul 2015 #64

The secession of NC is noteworthy because a referendum had already decided decisively against it, struggle4progress Jul 2015 #65

Those claims are nothing more than neo-confederate dipshittery Major Nikon Jul 2015 #32

Would like to make a distinction here. Lithos Jul 2015 #34

They also fought for the right to be slave holders themselves, one day. From a 50,000 ft view whereisjustice Jul 2015 #36

Proof for that? Lithos Jul 2015 #39

It's not that complicated, either Major Nikon Jul 2015 #37

Conscription started 16 April, 1862 Lithos Jul 2015 #40

Which means the war began with an all-volunteer army Major Nikon Jul 2015 #41

No, not really Lithos Jul 2015 #48

"being paid a bonus" /= involuntary Major Nikon Jul 2015 #51

It makes them mercenary Lithos Jul 2015 #52

Which would make them even more traitorous Major Nikon Jul 2015 #53

"Average soldiers" ThoughtCriminal Jul 2015 #47

Those were the 1 year/90 day wonders Lithos Jul 2015 #49

88% of the slave owners didnot qualify for that exemption ThoughtCriminal Jul 2015 #56

It was about states rights psychmommy Jul 2015 #35

It was actually diametrically in opposition to states' rights Major Nikon Jul 2015 #38

Yes, and you can hear the echoes of that arg in the "freedom of religion" debate in which whereisjustice Jul 2015 #42

It's the same warped logic Major Nikon Jul 2015 #54

that tropical environment thing of the heaven05 Jul 2015 #63

ANY time that "states' rights" thing comes up - it's all about sanitizing racism. lee atwater calimary Jul 2015 #45

great point and most recently, the racism behind the campaign "protecting against voter fraud". whereisjustice Jul 2015 #50

Excellent post malaise Jul 2015 #58

"a Southern confederacy to preserve the blessings of African slavery" EndElectoral Jul 2015 #61

Excellent history & analysis. Huge K&R. nt appal_jack Jul 2015 #62

Great post, bookmarking, thank you. nt Zorra Jul 2015 #70

Pickett just wanted some Apples from NY One_Life_To_Give Jul 2015 #71

Pickett visited Lee after the war and was very bitter Yupster Jul 2015 #75