The Civil War was one of the most important—and painful—moments in American history. Fought from 1861 to 1865, it was a war between the North (the Union) and the South (the Confederacy). It was a war over the future of the United States—and whether the country would continue to allow the cruel system of slavery.
What Was the Civil War About?
The main cause of the Civil War was slavery. Southern states built their economy on plantations worked by enslaved Black people. These men, women, and children were treated as property, bought and sold, and forced to work without freedom or pay.
Southern leaders said slavery was their right—and they were willing to fight a war to keep it.
Let’s be clear: the Confederacy didn’t just want “states’ rights.” They wanted the right to own people. And they said so in their own words.
💬 What Did Southern Leaders Actually Say?
When South Carolina left the United States, its leaders wrote:
“A geographical line has been drawn across the Union, and all the States north of that line have united in the election of a man [Lincoln] to the high office of President of the United States whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery.”
— South Carolina Declaration of Secession, 1860
The Vice President of the Confederacy, Alexander H. Stephens, made it even more clear:
“Our new government is founded upon… the great truth that the (African American- he actually used another word, I won’t include) is not equal to the white man; that slavery—subordination to the superior race—is his natural and normal condition.”
— Cornerstone Speech, 1861
This wasn’t about freedom. It was about keeping Black people in chains.
Why the War Started
When Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, Southern states feared he would stop slavery from spreading. Eleven of them chose to secede—or break away—from the United States and form their own country.
The war began in 1861 when Confederate soldiers attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina.
The North fought to save the Union. But as the war went on, it became more than that—it became a war to end slavery.
In 1863, Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared enslaved people in Confederate states to be free. It didn’t free everyone immediately, but it showed that the war was now a fight for justice.
Why This Still Matters
The Civil War ended in 1865 with a Union victory and the end of slavery. But racism didn’t disappear—and many of the ideas the Confederacy stood for are still around today.
Understanding the truth about the war helps us stand up for equality and justice. It helps us be honest about our past, so we can build a better future.
🧠 Comprehension Questions
1. What was the main cause of the Civil War?
A. Taxes
B. Slavery
C. Trade disagreements
D. Immigration
2. What did Alexander H. Stephens say about slavery in his Cornerstone Speech?
A. He said all people are equal.
B. He supported the idea that Black people should be free.
C. He said slavery was based on a “great truth” that Black people were inferior.
D. He never mentioned slavery.
3. What happened when Abraham Lincoln was elected president?
A. The South celebrated.
B. Southern states seceded from the Union.
C. Slavery was immediately abolished.
D. The Civil War ended.
4. Why is it important to study the Civil War today?
A. To memorize dates
B. To honor the Confederacy
C. To understand the fight for justice and equality
D. To learn about European politics
5. What do the quotes from Southern leaders reveal about the Confederacy’s beliefs?
A. They believed in fairness for all people.
B. They supported equal rights.
C. They believed slavery was necessary and Black people were inferior.
D. They didn’t have a clear opinion.
6. Why do you think some people today still try to say the Civil War wasn’t about slavery? What does the evidence show?
7. The article includes quotes from Southern leaders that openly defend slavery. How does seeing their own words affect your understanding of the Civil War?
8. What does real patriotism look like to you? Can criticizing injustice be a patriotic act? Why or why not?
9. Imagine you lived in the U.S. during the 1860s. What side of the Civil War would you have supported—and why?
10. How does learning about the Civil War help us understand racism and inequality today? Give examples.
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This is like reading the Soviet Union version of WWII history. It is sophomoric, overly simplistic, and misleading. It is also the history I was taught in northern public schools. A lifetime of interest, reading, and research of American history, specifically the American Revolution and what is most accurately called the War between the States I have concluded that the history I was taught is far from accurate. It is a history written by the victor to cast the most flattering light on themselves as its usually the case in a history written by the victors of any conflict.
95% of Americans in both the North and the South were extremely prejudiced against blacks. The 5% which were rabidly abolitionist or rabidly pro-slavery had little political power. The rich, both Northern and Southern, benefited greatly from slavery thus were inclined to want it to continue. The Northern rich, factory owners, benefitted from inexpensive raw materials and agricultural goods from the plantations of the south and obviously the Southern rich, Plantation owners, benefitted from slave produced agricultural products on their plantations.
The Federal revenues prior to the War between the States (Civil War is a misnomer as it is defined as an internal conflict for control of a country. The Southern States left the Union declaring no desire to take over the Federal Government or control of the country) came from Tariffs and excise taxes, 80%of which came from the Southern states and most of which was spent improving Northern infrastructure.
Lincoln was elected without a single Southern Electoral vote. This caused the South to view their representation in the Federal Government, thus their political power, as being over. They chose to leave the Union and start their own country. As such the individual States viewed Federal military installations in their states as being foreign powers which did not belong there. Fort Sumpter was fired upon because rather than withdrawing as South Carolina thought was proper an attempt was made to resupply and reinforce the Fort. South Carolina viewed this as an invasion of their Sovereign territory by the Federal Government. At this point in history the States were still considered Sovereign, think EU, countries which have voluntarily joined a Union for mutual benefit. Just as UK withdrew the EU, the States viewed the right to withdraw was inherent in a voluntary Union. There was no specific prohibition from withdrawal from the union.
It should be obvious that very few citizens from either the North or the South had strong enough views on slavery to die for. However, less than 75 after a revolution to free themselves from the perceived tyranny of England, it is more conceivable that same perception, impending tyranny would have been a cause to fight and die for from the Southern perspective. The Northern army was largely drafted initially.
The North made a proclamation of war against the South not the other way around. https://www.civilwar.com/resources/government-77630/148355-declaration-of-war.html The North invaded the South. It wasn’t until September of 1862 that the South for the first time moved into Northern territory hoping to bring about a negotiated peace.
Think of the possible ramifications had the EU proclaimed that The UK did not have the right to leave the union through Brexit and had gone to war over it. Fortunately they did not.
Finally, a further proof that while slavery was certainly a factor in the War between the States, it was not a major factor. Lincoln said prior to his inauguration, “I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races,”. He also wrote, well before the Emancipation Proclamation, “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.” It is arguable that when it became apparent to Lincoln that freeing of slaves could be a means to further his goal of preserving the Union he stated promoting that ideal. However, Lincoln’s Proclamation only freed slaves he had no power to free, those held by citizens of the Confederacy. It did not free any slaves held by citizens of the United States (border States) which he possibly did have the power to free. He conscious of the fact that this might drive said border States to switch sides.
While the war resulted in the ending of slavery in the United States, an unarguable good and right thing, it does not change the facts that results are not equivalent to causation. The War between the States was not fought “to end slavery”.
The promulgation of inaccurate history does not aid the improvement of civilization.
Who was fighting to maintain segregation 100 years after the war? Four of the first five states to leave issued declaration citing slavery as the key grievance. The South opened fire on Fort Sumter. I’m not sure what kind of southern apologist books you are reading. Care to name them? I appreciate your engagement, but the documentary record left by the seceding states themselves—and by Confederate leaders like Alexander Stephens—shows that the protection and expansion of slavery were not incidental but foundational to their decision.
Prejudice against blacks was almost universal around the time of the War between the States. There were hardcore racists in both the North and the South at that time and since. If you think hundreds of thousands of men from both the North and the South marched off into the bloodiest war in our nation’s history over an issue 95% of them cared nothing about then you are not thinking rationally.
As to your off the subject comments regarding segregation in the South post 1865 then you must be equating segregation with slavery. How much effect did reconstruction abuse by Northern carpetbaggers have on Southern attitudes. Northern treatment of Southern casualties buried in Mass unmarked graves. Treating seccession as traitorous. Is a spouse who leaves a marriage union traitorous? To be subject to forced return to marriage?
The Southern States who seceded did nothing illegal by the laws of the times. The States were Sovereign entities, individual countries, who had entered into a voluntary Union with no provision preventing any State from leaving the Union.
To attribute modern day attitudes on historical events is the height of disingenuous writing of history. We tend to think of States today as merely subdivisions of a single country. That is not how people perceived their citizenship back then. They were citizens of their State. They considered themselves Virginians or New Yorkers. Most took sides based on their citizenship alone. Robert E. Lee resigned his position in the US Army even though he was offered Supreme Command saying he could not in good conscience take up arms against his fellow Virginians. Had the North not decided to force the States who had seceded back into the Union Lee would not have resigned his commission. This is just one example of the attitudes of the times.
General McClellan ran against Lincoln in 1864 proposing to broker a truce and stop the war letting the seccession stand.
Based on your reply I can’t help but wonder if you carefully read my comment. You bring up Southern leader comments on Slavery but completely ignore Northern leaders commentary on slavery, specifically Lincoln’s comments on it and the details of the Emancipation Proclamation. Freeing none on the slaves he had the power to free, claiming only that slaves the Federal Government had no control over were free.
Ending slavery was certainly a good thing. It came about as a result of the war. That does not make it the cause of the war. The causes were many and complex. Slavery was certainly one of them.
Finally the only reason we are not considered traitors to this day, which we certainly were when we rebelled against our then King, is because we won, twice. The long standing animosity between the North and the South had more to do with how the South was treated after the war ended than any political disagreements. We treated Germany and Japan after WWII better than the South was treated during reconstruction.