“Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery - the greatest material interest of the world.”
“There was no choice left us but submission to the mandates of abolition, or a dissolution of the Union, whose principles had been subverted to work out our ruin.”
If that’s not good enough read about The Cornerstone Speech given by Alexander Stephens, the Vice President of the confederacy:
“The new Constitution has put at rest forever all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institutions—African slavery as it exists among us—the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization. This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution.”
So yeah, it was about slavery and that’s straight from the horses mouth.
Edit: I should clarify that what I’m trying to say is that for the south slavery was, if not the main reason, one of the main reasons for secession. I think there is space for discussion about the north’s main intentions, but to me the south made it abundantly clear the question of slavery was at least a major motivating factor in secession.
Kitty015 on September 14th, 2018 at 05:00 UTC »
It was about states’ rights.
States’ rights to let their citizens have slaves.
Homo-Deus on September 14th, 2018 at 06:49 UTC »
Punisher decal on their truck window
levels_jerry_levels on September 14th, 2018 at 11:08 UTC »
If anyone wants some primary sources on what the civil war was about read the Mississippi Declaration of Secession:
“Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery - the greatest material interest of the world.”
“There was no choice left us but submission to the mandates of abolition, or a dissolution of the Union, whose principles had been subverted to work out our ruin.”
If that’s not good enough read about The Cornerstone Speech given by Alexander Stephens, the Vice President of the confederacy:
“The new Constitution has put at rest forever all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institutions—African slavery as it exists among us—the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization. This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution.”
So yeah, it was about slavery and that’s straight from the horses mouth.
Edit: I should clarify that what I’m trying to say is that for the south slavery was, if not the main reason, one of the main reasons for secession. I think there is space for discussion about the north’s main intentions, but to me the south made it abundantly clear the question of slavery was at least a major motivating factor in secession.