Was He Just a Man? Essay -- American History, Jefferson Davis

â€Å"I worked night and day for twelve years to prevent the war, but I could not. The North was mad and blind, would not let us govern ourselves, and so the war came† (Thinkexist 6). These words were spoken by Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America. Although he was president of the confederacy, he was opposed to secession and spoke for peace between north and south before the beginning of the war. The effects of Jefferson Davis’s accomplishments can still be felt today. Jefferson Davis was born in June 3rd, 1808 (McGill 2). At age seven he was sent to a Dominican boy’s school in Kentucky (Jefferson Davis 3). When he was thirteen, he went to Transylvania College in Kentucky (McGill 3). He accepted a nomination to West Point in 1824 (McGill 3). He graduated twenty-third in his class of thirty-nine; he also had a total of 327 demerits on his record (McGill 3). If Jefferson Davis had never gone to school as a young child, he would have never received a nomination to West Point. Without his West Point schooling, he wouldn’t have gone into the military, which would have changed everything in his life. He never would have met his two wives. If he didn’t meet them, he wouldn’t have gotten into politics which, would have rewritten history. After his school he went into the army as a lieutenant. He served in the Black Hawk War (McGill 4). The Black Hawk War was a war between the U.S. and Sac and Fox Indians (Lewis 1). The war began when these Indian tribes left their reservation in Iowa to return to their homes in Illinois (Lewis 1). Upon hearing that the Indians had left their reservation, citizens broke into widespread panic (Lewis 1). There was only one major battle during the Black Hawk War; it was the battle... ...d never have been appointed to Secretary of War. What if Jefferson Davis wasn’t chosen for the Confederate presidency? Davis’s role in the success that the Confederacy achieved against a nation much more superior in numbers and resources was enormous. First of all, even though he was too noisy in military affairs, he often helped. Lastly, he held the south together until the end of the war, which allowed the south to fight for much longer and continue with a fighting chance. Even though Jefferson Davis was a strong supporter of the south, he tried to keep the south from seceding, as stated in his quote, â€Å"I worked night and day for twelve years to prevent the war, but I could not. The North was mad and blind, would not let us govern ourselves, and so the war came† This quote shows how hard Jefferson Davis tried to keep the union together (Thinkexist 6).