Division within the country

Definition

Refers to the growing disagreements and conflicts between different regions of the United States, particularly between the North and South, which ultimately led to increased sectionalism.

Related terms

Sectionalism: Refers to loyalty or support for one's own region or section of a country rather than the whole nation.

Nullification Crisis: A political crisis in 1832 when South Carolina attempted to nullify federal tariffs imposed by Congress, highlighting tensions between states' rights and federal authority.

Kansas-Nebraska Act: A controversial law passed in 1854 that allowed popular sovereignty (allowing residents of territories to decide whether they would allow slavery), further intensifying sectional divisions.