[IronJack]

defense of the institution of slavery was by far the single most important reason why the southern states began their rebellion.

I disagree. Several "insurrections" preceded the Confederate assault on Fort Sumter. The South was tired of having its soil "occupied" by forces alien and hostile to it, in defiance of the states' right prerogative embodied in the Constitution and cherished in the South at a level unmatched in the industrialized North.

[Non-Sequitur]

I disagree. Several "insurrections" preceded the Confederate assault on Fort Sumter. The South was tired of having its soil "occupied" by forces alien and hostile to it, in defiance of the states' right prerogative embodied in the Constitution and cherished in the South at a level unmatched in the industrialized North.

I'm sorry, but your opinion differs with the leaders of the southern rebellion. They made it pretty clear that slavery and it's fate was first and foremost in their minds when they rebelled.

[Kay Soze]

"The South was tired of having its soil "occupied" by forces alien and hostile to it.."

Why were alien?

Why were they hostile?

[ImphClinton]

Then what were these battles fought about. I will tell you. The southern states had laws making slaves property ang giving them the right to retrive their property anywhere they could find it. They often tracked their slaves up North and kidnapped them. The North objected to this and there were several small battles fought over this.

The southern states claimed the right to their property while the nothern states were actively helping slaves escape bondage. Many laws were repealed making it more and more difficult for Slaves to re retrived from the North. Eventually the southern states broke away because they felt they had a better chance of maintaining their slaves this way.

It was all about slavery in one way or another.