Question

Around the time of the civil war why did southern states want to maintain a balance of power in the US senate

Answer 1

Answer:

The United States Senate played a crucial role during the Civil War. Although the history of the war is often told from the perspective of President Abraham Lincoln and his military commanders, the Senate faced war-related issues even before Lincoln took the oath of office and continued to address and influence national events throughout the war. Following the firing on Fort Sumter, the Capitol soon was teeming with soldiers. Even the Senate Chamber became a temporary headquarters. The Capitol housed a bakery to feed the troops and served as a makeshift hospital to provide medical care. Over the next four years, the Senate endured numerous constitutional crises as it fulfilled its legislative duties and provided oversight to executive action. Working with colleagues in the House of Representatives, the Senate passed landmark legislation that continues to shape our nation today. In the post-war Reconstruction years, senators led the debates over emancipation, civil rights, and the readmission of Southern states to representation, and they proposed constitutional amendments to guarantee rights of citizenship. This is the Senate’s Civil War story.