Was the American Civil War about slavery or not?

Question

A friend of mine said that it wasn't but that slavery was pretty much the easiest way to describe why we fought it. He went on to say that the southern states felt invaded by a foriegn power and so they fought to defend their homes and way of life, slavery or no. Can anyone give me a better answer than this? Is it true there were more reasons than slavery?

Answer 1

When the Constitution was written, it left a lot of room for interpretation, so the different states would agree to ratify it. Unfortunately, slavery and the degree of state's rights were among the top things left out. Southern states believed more power should rest with the states, like it did with the Articles of Confederation (the government we had before the Constitution, which had so few rights that it was virtually powerless). This included the power to decide whether or not to permit slavery within the state.

The real battle cry in the South was for state's rights, then, but slavery was included. The war wasn't very popular in the North, until Lincoln got the abolitionists involved, and made slavery the main issue. But even Lincoln said if he could preserve the Union but keep slavery, he would do it.

Answer 2

The Civil war did lead to the end of slavery in America. However, the emancipation proclamation did not abolish slavery. The strict wording only outlawed slavery 'within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States' and as the Confederacy did recognize the authority of the Union they were under no compulsion to apply it. The 13th Amendment was what really abolished slavery as it was adopted on December 6 1865 and applied to all states.

Answer 3

Oh jesus. You aren't past 9th grade are you?

OK here we go. Do not quote me on this. I graduated High school in 2005, and I learned all this when I was a Junior.

The ACTUAL reasons the Civil war was in affect was over the North wanting to make the south industriaized like them. The slavery was a major part of it too. See, back then, The North was full of industries, plant, manufacturers etc. and the South was all agricultural. The South had slaves to keep the crops up, and the North was against that. Hence, industries, machines to do the work, etc. My answer is what I remember from when I was in high school.

Here is an interesting fact: Slaves, women and Native Americans actually fought on the Southern side. The only reason the south fell, and lost, was the fact that we were supplied before the war with artillary that came from WHERE? The North. And just like any OTHER war, the North refused to supply them with any more, and they lost from the North having more fire power.

Answer 4

OK, here it is. When the United States was created the states wanted to retain some independent power but also be united as one country. So our government has both state and Federal laws. Laws had been made to keep slavery below the Mason Dixon line. A line dividing the north from the south. If you were below it you could have slaves, above it no. However, people wanted to abolish slavery completely, known as abolitionist. Now, the south felt it was their right as individual states to keep slavery and that the Federal government should not tell them what to do. They then decided to leave the United States which the federal government said they had no right to do. When they did succeed from the United States the North Declared war on the South. The main issue arose because of slavery but it was about Federal rights vs. State rights. Some people said if the South left it would set a president for others to leave as well. So in a nutshell that is it.

Answer 5

On about 1615, it was recorded the first known slave arrived at Jamestown Virginia (1607), the first permanent English settlement. Needless to say it spread all over, especially in the Southeast.
The slavery issue was a favorite argument for Congressmen and just like they get us in wars now, they did then. Lincoln ran on an anti slavery ticket which got him elected. South Carolina succeeded from the union when it's legislators learned of the north's pursuit of their impending ways against the south and to make a point they were not going to be pushed around by high dollar Yankee industrialists nor Lincoln. They warned Lincoln via letter that the re-manning or resupplying Fort Sumter in the Charleston harbor would not be tolerated and considered an act of aggression, Lincoln allowed the ships to go there and waited, and you know the rest.The South if given the chance and time, most historians would agree would have ended slavery on it's own, but it would not stand for the North to ram it down their throats, after all their cotton, rice, sugar and tobacco was shipped to the North for years with the sweat of slaves and who would work the huge plantations? The war was about slavery, individual states rights and a Constitution that should have dis allowed slavery to begin with, but slavery was already in use over 160 years before it was written.
** Please note that Maryland, Delaware,Kentucky,West Virginia and Missouri were allowed to KEEP their slaves a long after the war ended in exchange for their participation in supporting the union. That fact kind of makes it clear that more than slavery was the issue for this civil war.Of course many of the men fighting for the Union I feel sure never knew that.
Thousands of freed slaves traveled in droves to the North to work in the factories where they were paid sub standard wages and lived in tennament sub standard housing in many cases. When the industrialist carpetbaggers sent their agents to the South to buy the land and real estate at pennies on the dollar, they as well recruited freed slaves for their bosses.

Answer 6

Slavery was not the main reason for the war. It was something President Lincoln wanted to abolish and was able to use the war to do so.
The main reason for the war was to unify the United States because the North and the South wanted to be separate and Lincoln felt that if they did so they would be just like the country that the people left to live in the United States.
Hope that is sufficient

Answer 7

The civil war was about state rights vs national rights. Prior to the election of Abraham Lincoln the south was in a steady decline of power within the government. The population growth in the east allowed for more representation in giving a bigger power base to eastern critics of southern policy. The idea of freeing slaves was not a real an issue accept for a fringe minority. The freeing of the slaves by Abraham Lincoln was purely a political move to keep Britain out of the war.

Answer 8

Absolutely, a very political war, one reason was to prevent the split of the Nation, to bring a unity of the States, the other was to rid our country in the South of all the Foreign investors in the slave trade business, Cuba, Spain, Dutch, German, etc., we were losing our lands to the debts owed to these foreign influences. A reality that we are facing today. Slavery was a part of the financial situation we were struggling with and this was a war to end the wars in America once and for all for our people to unite and again rid ourselves of those who would conspire to over throw our government as they have tried for years. Britain stayed out of that they were just party to investments for import and export they were tired of warring with us. France was involved but way behind the scenes. So many sold their souls to their friends in Europe. Watch the Wild Wild West with Will Smith, you will be surprised when you see a movie psychologically tell you the truth between the lines. Very graphic on the countries plans.

Answer 9

Slavery was only a small part. States rights over centralized federal power was another a major issue that was exacerbated by different economies. The north was starting the industrial revolution and the south was an agrarian society (make use of slaves) to grow cotton, tobacco, and food crops.

Answer 10

The American Civil War was about the South trying sucede (separate) from the Union, but the North did not want that to happen. The Emancipation Proclamation just happened to fit into the war.