I’ve always found it interesting that people still think the Civil war was about slavery. In a sense, it was. But not the sense most believe.
Under the Northwest Ordinance, slavery was prohibited in the new ten States that were to be formed out of the northwest territories, and the Northwest Ordinance was an act of the Continental Congress, so slavery was already on it’s way out.
But I believe the north recognized that the cost benefits of slavery for agriculture and the growing (still in it’s infancy) industrialization of the south, combined with the south’s natural seaports and access would basically put the north out of business.
The problem being that the Civil War and subsequent reconstruction established the national United States as principal rather than as agents of the States.
And yes, you are correct that the phrase “United States” was recognized by the Confederacy.
All well and good, expect that the slave states and their Calhounist politicians didn’t except the federal authority to limit the expansion of slavery. They forced the issue. But seriously, let’s not make this a civil war thread. I agree that the north did not enter into war to end slavery. But the political controversies surrounding slavery were the cause of the war.
except= accept.