The erosion of basic norms expanded the zone of acceptable political action. Several years before shots were fired at Fort Sumter, partisan violence pervaded Congress. Yale historian Joanne Freeman estimates that there were 125 incidents of violence-including stabbings, canings, and the pulling of pistols-on the floor of the U.S. House and Senate between 1830 and 1860.
The breakdown of fundamental political norms allowed for an increase in violent behavior among political figures. Even before the Civil War began, the halls of Congress were rife with hostility, illustrating a troubling shift towards physical altercations as a means of political expression. Historian Joanne Freeman highlights this troubling trend, noting numerous violent incidents in Congress, including stabbings and weapon confrontations, between 1830 and 1860.
This atmosphere of aggression signaled a broader normalization of extreme political actions, contributing to a discordant environment where civility decreased significantly. Such violence underscored the fragility of democratic institutions and the potential consequences of ignoring essential principles of legislative decorum, ultimately paving the way for more severe hostilities within the nation.
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Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
