At the beginning of the 18th century you began to see differences in the north and the south, it was almost as if they were becoming two separate countries. With different geographies and climates the north and south developed different economical and social patterns. In the north the hilly terrain and colder climate tended to keep farms small, therefore northerners became seamen, shipbuilders, merchants, and factory workers. This type of development spawned the growth of large cities and urban areas.

The south, on the other hand, had the plantation system which was a very large farm dealing usually with one crop.

Shortly after the election of Abraham Lincoln the first wave of secessions occurred. The seven states of the Deep South left almost in unison. The second wave occurred later on with Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. The debate was particularly heated in Virginia, where the western part of the state voted to become the separate state of West Virginia. The four Border States of Missouri, Kentucky, Delaware and Maryland barley remained neutral. Lincoln was especially worried about his home state of Kentucky and was heard to remark, "I think to loose Kentucky is nearly the same as to loose the whole game. Kentucky gone, we cannot hold Missouri, nor, as I think, Maryland. These all against us, and the job on out hands is too large for us. We would as well consent to separation at once, including the surrender of this capital."

Now the country was divided along all lines, political, social and military. In the army officers, from the south, resigned their commissions and returned to their home states to command state militias in the coming conflict. The south, with its tradition of military service, gained some of the best officer in the army. This is shown by the fact that in the early days of the war the south won most of the battles, even though they were out numbers and out gunned. The most famous officer was Robert E. Lee, who was first offered command of all union armies by president Lincoln, but chose to return to his home state of Virginia and was given command of the Army of Virginia.

The death, in 1852, of both Henry Clay and Daniel Webster killed the Compromise era. No longer was there a leader of national stature, so debates broke down on regional level. In this cl

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