Causes of the American Civil War

Study Notes

The Civil War was primarily sparked by deep-seated disagreements over slavery, states' rights, and economic and political differences between the Northern and Southern states.
Slavery was the most significant and contentious issue, with the Southern economy relying heavily on agriculture and enslaved African Americans.
The North, on the other hand, was more industrialized and had a growing abolitionist movement that opposed slavery on moral and economic grounds.
Southern states advocated for states' rights, arguing that they had the right to govern themselves and make their own decisions, including the decision to maintain the institution of slavery.
Economic differences between the industrialized North and the agrarian South contributed to the tension, particularly with regards to tariffs and trade policies.
The balance of power between slave and free states was a constant source of tension, with the South fearing losing political power in the federal government.

The Union's original goal at the outset of the Civil War was to preserve the Union.
The primary objective was to prevent the Southern states from seceding and to maintain the United States as a single, undivided nation.

Abraham Lincoln's foremost goal was to preserve the Union.
He believed that the United States must remain united for its survival and prosperity.
Lincoln was personally opposed to slavery and aimed to prevent its expansion into new territories and states.
He believed that containing slavery would lead to its eventual extinction.
As the war progressed, Lincoln's position evolved, and he issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, declaring that all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory would be freed as of January 1, 1863.