Where Would I Like to Live After Civil War 1865? Abraham Lincoln is most always associated with the Civil War. But, he was not elected through a majority of the popular vote. In fact, with only forty percent of the popular vote, he wasn't even close to a majority. His Republican platform reached out to many groups, but left out the South. Many southerners thought he was an abolitionist, although he did favor monetary compensation and …showed first 75 words of 1226 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1226 total…against their principles, against their deepest beliefs, and send fugitive slaves, or even freeborn blacks, back to the south. The northerners were forced to choose between abiding by the law, and helping a fellow human being. It put a human face on slavery for northerners, and polarized the two regions. The Fugitive Slave law was the most significant factor in contributing to the rift between the North and the South, and, ultimately, the Civil War.