Read Post 70 by Pete Dovgan. The Confederacy was actively attacking the North in several ways and it became an existential battle. The South wanted to destroy the North, and was never really interested in peaceful coexistence.
Ask Edmund Ruffin what he wanted.
When it comes to the Civil War, there is no shortage of pro-north sympathy. The north was good, freeing the slaves. The South was bad, fighting to keep them.
“History is written by the victor” and never was that phrase more true than in the case of the civil war.
I’m not expecting to change any minds here but everyone knows the story would be told differently if the South had won and since they didn’t win, their version of history is simply not taught.
I turned 21 in 1973 and the history of Vietnam, the Civil Rights movement, Watergate, etc. had not yet solidified - had not yet been carved in stone. There were two sides to most issues as I recall and strong disagreement. Back then the Left made up what we now call fake news, just as they do today. Forty some years later it seems like the historical accounts of these issues are simplified, dumbed down, agenda drivin. Blame is assigned, there is now a good guy and a bad guy in every story - usually the bad guy is a white male republican.
I imagine the actual Civil War was far, far more complex than the historical accounts available today. I don’t trust them.