Ending Slavery in the U.S.- Prior to and during the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, slavery was a major issue in the United States. From 1830-1850 (also known as the Era of Reform) cotton became the center of America's economy. The more cotton that was grown, the more slave labor was needed to pick it. This drew a lot of attention to slaves and their human rights. Many anti-slavery societies were formed and …showed first 75 words of 645 total…

…showed last 75 words of 645 total…a home and able to get a descent job. In conclusion, the South saw the ending of slavery as an economic disaster and in fact the freeing of slaves would leave the slaves with nothing but their freedom. Freedom to go without food and shelter. Lincoln should have compromised by passing laws to insure decent treatment of slaves currently owned in the South and insuring that the next generation of African-Americans should be born free.