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Five myths about why the South seceded
Washington Post ^ | January 9, 2011 | James W. Loewen

Posted on 01/19/2011 11:35:34 AM PST by kosciusko51

One hundred and fifty years after the Civil War began, we're still fighting it -- or at least fighting over its history. I've polled thousands of high school history teachers and spoken about the war to audiences across the country, and there is little agreement even on why the South seceded. Was it over slavery? States' rights? Tariffs and taxes?

As the nation begins to commemorate the anniversaries of the war's various battles -- from Fort Sumter to Appomattox -- let's first dispense with some of the more prevalent myths about why it all began.

1. The South seceded over states' rights.

Confederate states did claim the right to secede, but no state claimed to be seceding for that right. In fact, Confederates opposed states' rights -- that is, the right of Northern states not to support slavery.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: americanhistory; civilwar; dixie; secession; statesrights
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I thought this was interesting and wanted to see what other FReepers had to say about it.
1 posted on 01/19/2011 11:35:40 AM PST by kosciusko51
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To: kosciusko51; stainlessbanner

Find some cover. The lead’s about to fly.

}:-)4


2 posted on 01/19/2011 11:40:36 AM PST by Moose4 ("By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!")
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To: kosciusko51

As a southerner, all I have to say is THE SOUTH IS GONNA RISE AGAIN. I was always taught, by my relatives, the War Between the States boiled down to states rights. I guess the Washington Post wants to makes southerners out to be liars, huh?


3 posted on 01/19/2011 11:40:56 AM PST by stansblugrassgrl (PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THE AMMUNITION!!! YEEEEEHAW!)
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To: stansblugrassgrl

“I guess the Washington Post wants to makes southerners out to be liars, huh?”

Uh, no, I think the writer wants to make all Southerners out to be racists.


4 posted on 01/19/2011 11:42:44 AM PST by Houghton M.
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To: kosciusko51
The guy manages to work in a bit of Bush-bashing (maybe just to reassure the typical Washington Compost reader that he's a good guy)--"Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy."

He's a sociologist, not an historian.

5 posted on 01/19/2011 11:43:57 AM PST by Verginius Rufus
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To: kosciusko51
I thought this was interesting and wanted to see what other FReepers had to say about it.

I have read both "Sundown Towns" and "Lies My Teacher Told Me" written by James Loewen.

In short, he's an American-hating Marxist. That's all that needs be known. Distrust everything and anything written by the repulsive and insignificant homunculus:


6 posted on 01/19/2011 11:44:33 AM PST by re_nortex (DP...that's what I like about Texas...)
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To: Verginius Rufus

Whether its slavery or states rights it still boils down to the same issue. He calls it slavery. We call it states rights. It was still one in the same reason.


7 posted on 01/19/2011 11:45:38 AM PST by Peter from Rutland
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To: Houghton M.

Liars, racists, what’s the difference?


8 posted on 01/19/2011 11:45:47 AM PST by stansblugrassgrl (PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THE AMMUNITION!!! YEEEEEHAW!)
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To: kosciusko51

Contrary to the article, the PREFERRED name for the “Civil War” is actually “The War of Northern Agression”. I think is WAS over State’s rights, AND the hyysterical drumbeat of the New York Times in the late 1850’s for WAR over the tariff-free imports through the Port Of New Orleans, thus undercutting New York’s importance. Read the old papers on microfiche!


9 posted on 01/19/2011 11:46:52 AM PST by 2harddrive
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To: stansblugrassgrl

Ma’am, take it from an ex-secessionist (and current Southern Nationalist), it’s not going to happen again. Another secession movement would require a separation between millions of people and their sports on television. I don’t see that happening.

Also, true secession would be nothing more than a glorified divorce, and only lawyers profit from divorce. The next War Between the States would be fought in courtrooms.

All that being said, to find out why the antebellum South sought separation, one only has to read what they wrote. They were quite clear.


10 posted on 01/19/2011 11:47:50 AM PST by warchild9
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To: stansblugrassgrl

Living in the North and having relatives in the South, I’d say the South has risen again and won.


11 posted on 01/19/2011 11:47:59 AM PST by Free Vulcan (The cult of Islam must be eradicated by any means necessary.)
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To: kosciusko51

The Socialists running Wall Street drove the South to secede.


12 posted on 01/19/2011 11:48:21 AM PST by Paladin2
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To: kosciusko51

I like the clever way the reporter ties slave holders to people who support the Bush tax cuts. (sigh)


13 posted on 01/19/2011 11:48:43 AM PST by MeganC (I'm allergic to tequila. When I drink it I break out in handcuffs.)
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To: kosciusko51

Despite some of the specific pot-shots the author takes at Bush, etc. It’s largely true; the five main points of the article are certainly valid.

Donning flame-resistant suit.


14 posted on 01/19/2011 11:48:45 AM PST by Strategerist
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To: Houghton M.

The conerstone of the southern confederacy was slavery. A good book is David Barton’s American history in Black and White


15 posted on 01/19/2011 11:49:29 AM PST by navysealdad (http://drdavehouseoffun.com/)
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To: Peter from Rutland
Looking at the full text of South Carolina' secession declaration, I agree with you that they are one in the same.
16 posted on 01/19/2011 11:50:40 AM PST by kosciusko51
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To: kosciusko51

The whole thing with Lincoln going to war was to preserve the Union. The slavery issue was not a factor at the time.


17 posted on 01/19/2011 11:51:17 AM PST by ReverendJames (Only A Lawyer, A Painter, A Politician And The Media Can Change Black To White)
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To: kosciusko51
In 1860, many subsistence farmers aspired to become large slave-owners. So poor white Southerners supported slavery then, just as many low-income people support the extension of George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy now.

Got that? Supporting tax cuts is like supporting slavery.

18 posted on 01/19/2011 11:52:26 AM PST by pogo101
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To: Moose4

Who cares. The south got there A$$ handed to them. Why they want to glorify a war they lost is beyond me.


19 posted on 01/19/2011 11:54:11 AM PST by napscoordinator
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To: pogo101
Yeah, focus on the minutia while ignoring the elephant in the room.

“WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US.” - Pogo

20 posted on 01/19/2011 11:54:28 AM PST by kosciusko51
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