You constantly trot out this dodge, and yet I have met few people in my life who do not automatically answer "slavery" when you say "civil war." Whether you wish to acknowledge it or not, the vast bulk of the population believes the war was fought to free the slaves.
Why do they believe this? Because that is the propaganda that has been spread about it ever since it happened.
Possibly because "slavery" was the cause, at least from the Southern side. The motivation for the North was always preservation of the Union.
Whether you wish to acknowledge it or not, the vast bulk of the population believes the war was fought to free the slaves.
And a considerable percentage of Confederacy supporters deny the Southern actions were motivated by slavery - including most of the ones around here. I cannot be responsible for people holding beliefs that are contradicted by all available evidence.
Why do they believe this? Because that is the propaganda that has been spread about it ever since it happened.
Propaganda is not always correct.