Causes of the Civil War: Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom’s Cabin was novel written in 1852 by American author, Harriet Beecher Stowe. the importance of the novel shows the grim reality of slavery while it follows an African American slave, Uncle Tom. The novel follows the Shelby family who fall into economic trouble and must reluctantly sell their slaves, Uncle Tom and Harry. Stowe wanted to show the harsh journey of slaves to help spark northern morale to fight against slavery. Today, it is still regarded as one of the most important novels in American history and is taught at high schools and colleges across the country.

The novel is regarded as one of the major causes of civil war, in fact, Abraham Lincoln addressed Harriet Beecher Stowe as “the little lady who started a war”. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was the second best selling book of the nineteenth century and was the best selling novel in the United States and across Asia and Europe, translated into over thirty languages. It started in 1851 when author Stowe had the projected of writing the National Era, an antislavery magazine during this time. She ended up writing more than forty installments rather than the original three and with them was Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Harriet Beecher Stowe was a writer and an abolitionist during the 19th century who is still regarded as a feminist icon. She was born in Connecticut and died at the age of 85 after living a full life as a teacher who wrote articles and was author of over thirty novels. Stowe was born to a large family with nine children in New England, her father Reverend Lyman Beecher was a highly regarded Calvinist preacher who encouraged his children to be article in the public sphere. Stowe’s father was one of the leaders of the Second Great Awakening and a big proponent of the abolitionist movement. Stowe received high education and as a child, she attended Sarah Pierce’s Litchfield Academy that focused on women’s domestic education and the academics. From there, at thirteen, Stowe attended a higher education institute called Female Seminary, a school run by her sister Catherine, eventually becoming an assistant teacher.

Stowe moved to Cincinnati and with her family, the joined a literacy and social salon called the Semi Colon club where people gathered to debate about social issues and read other’s writings. In 1862, Beecher married Calvin Stowe, a professor at her father’s theological seminary and also a supporter of anti slavery.Calvin talked with slaves who had escaped to Ohio from the slave states Kentucky and Virginia, making friend with abolitionists who participated in the Underground Railroad. Harriet was encouraged to visit Kentucky and there, she saw the horrors of slavery. In 1838, the Stowes hired a slave girl from Kentucky and by the law of Ohio, she was free. Unfortunately, the Stowes learned that the girl’s original master was searching for her and could bring her back as a slave leading to Calvin and Stowe’s brother Henry to bring the girl to a friend’s house in total secrecy. This event became the peak of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and what Stowe would base her novel on.

Stowe was an avid writer even while being a mother and teacher. In 1822, Stowe coauthored “A Primary Geography for Children” with her sister. By 1834, Stowe had won a writing contest in “Western Monthly Magazine” and was later published in “Atlantic Monthly” and “The New York Evangelists”. In 1843 Beecher published her first novel called “Mayflower”.

What prompted Beecher to write “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was the Fugitive Slave Law passed on September 18, 1850. The story had its intended impact and sparked political debate but not without criticism towards how toned down the story was about slavery or how it cruelly depicted the south. Nevertheless, she remained strong and continued to help slaves through achieving their freedom and education.

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http://www.historynet.com/uncle-toms-cabin

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