'Slavery' as an explanation is pretty stupid, because slavery existed for the 80 years prior as well. Why is it that the Civil War erupted in 1861 and not any time before? Clearly, there was more going on. A lot of stuff related to slavery, like the South's anger over the Republicans wanting to block the expansion of slavery, their opposition to attacks on their sacred institution, as well as their anger over 'personal liberty laws'.
Tariffs as a reason was also pretty stupid. The government had in the past few decades been in the hands of Southern sympathizers. Same for state's rights. Lincoln did not violate their right to hold slaves, he was even willing to constitutionally guarantee it. He merely opposed its extension into the territories.
The least well known reason, however, is the fear that Lincoln would use the patronage power of the presidency to appoint anti-slavery people to positions in the South, who would then - the South feared - use their positions to foment slave uprisings. This got particular urgency after John Brown's mad attack.
Also the shifting of political and economic power from the rural south and self proclaimed "aristocrats" to an industrialized north didn't sit well with the idea of the gentlemen farmers of the south.
'Slavery' as an explanation is pretty stupid, because slavery existed for the 80 years prior as well. Why is it that the Civil War erupted in 1861 and not any time before? Clearly, there was more going on. A lot of stuff related to slavery, like the South's anger over the Republicans wanting to block the expansion of slavery, their opposition to attacks on their sacred institution, as well as their anger over 'personal liberty laws'.
Tariffs as a reason was also pretty stupid. The government had in the past few decades been in the hands of Southern sympathizers. Same for state's rights. Lincoln did not violate their right to hold slaves, he was even willing to constitutionally guarantee it. He merely opposed its extension into the territories.
The least well known reason, however, is the fear that Lincoln would use the patronage power of the presidency to appoint anti-slavery people to positions in the South, who would then - the South feared - use their positions to foment slave uprisings. This got particular urgency after John Brown's mad attack.
Also the shifting of political and economic power from the rural south and self proclaimed "aristocrats" to an industrialized north didn't sit well with the idea of the gentlemen farmers of the south.