It was the tariffs, the slaves, the competing cultures, the competing economic interests, a redux of Federalist vs anti-Federalist arguments, an Abe Lincoln with less than 40% of the vote raising an army to invade his own country, and dozens more reasons all played out with bayonets and cavalry.
There were as many reasons for it as there were people who fought in it.
The truth, as we know, is never so simple or neat as we are taught in school. Whether Weekly Reader in grade school or a PhD dissertation at Harvard, all are at best but summary and at worst, shameless advocacy.
A good way look at the complexity of the last civil war would be to ponder what would the jingoists 100 years from now opine caused our second civil war.
Abortion vs pro-life?
Gun culture vs the anti-gun culture?
Taxes payers vs tax eaters?
Big Government snooping vs libertarians?
Liberty vs tyranny?
Renewables and the EPA vs King Coal and Big Oil?
Homosexual rights vs Southern Baptists and Catholics?
Wall Street vs Main Street?
Free Traders vs Fair Traders
Pro illegal immigrant vs anti-illegal immigrant
Paper vs plastic?
and the list goes on.
All would be right.
In singularity, not enough to kill over. In total, well where is that damn bayonet.
well-reasoned. thank you