The inhabitants of a country will not always agree on national policies; this was the case after the American Revolution. At the beginning of what is known as the antebellum period, the American nation was divided between North and South by many issues, but most of the economic problems arising from westward expansion and slavery. While the North had abolished slavery, the South insisted on slavery for the cultivation of its cash crops, notably cotton. The South had religious and racial justifications for the institution of slavery and even went so far as to proclaim that slavery was for the slave's own benefit. However, the North, motivated by the Second Great Awakening, had women and the abolitionist movement who viewed slavery as evil and an institution that should be abolished. The great North-South division had been triggered. One of the other issues that led America into great division was the debate over who would control the western territory that Americans were settling. This particular issue was important because of the differences in economic policies between the North and the South. While the North supported policies that would favor domestic production over importation, the South however supported policies that would encourage cotton trade with other countries and policies encouraging only domestic production would hinder this. In addition to the power struggle, the North and South disagreed over the controversial issue of slavery. The antebellum slave era was characterized by black freedmen from the North and slaves from the South working under harsh conditions for the small elite of cotton producers. While freedmen did indeed enjoy their freedom, they were also subject to racism from whites. Cotton production was booming in the South and...... middle of paper ...... anti-slavery propaganda to inspire and found the American Anti-Slavery Society. Their argument against slavery was that Christianity promoted morality and goodwill toward others and therefore God could not support such an institution. “Slave ownership is a heinous crime in the sight of God, and the duty, safety, and best interests of all concerned demand its immediate abandonment” (Tindall, Shi 544). Furthermore, the North argued that the Constitution guaranteed human rights and therefore the institution of slavery that treated people as property was a violation of the Constitution. Works Cited Fitzhugh, George. “The Blessings of Slavery” exp. Sociology for the South or the failure of the free society. A. Morris: Richmond, VA 1857. Tindall, George and David Shi. America: A Narrative History. Ed. 9, Vol. 1. New York: WW Norton & Company, 2013. 544. Print..