I am a Southerner and a realist. While many elite Southerners were certainly fighting for slavery, I do believe that most others were not, in fact the Confederate Constitution called for the abolishment of slavery. It was dying and would have died even if they had won the war. In fact if the North had not taken to arms right away they could have easily made a few minor concessions, reunite the nation, and avoid war. It would probably have taken more time, perhaps decades, but I think if they had used sanctions and limited blockades to accomplish this they could have ended slavery without blood shed.
Many of the common folks were simply fighting because the Yankees were invading their territory. My mothers family came from Georgia and Alabama, during the civil war many, not most of the men served in the Confederacy. My fathers side was from southern Alabama (sometimes called LA) and the panhandle of Florida. Not many served, one brother helped build ships in Mobile,and another served in the Army and suffered a wound. But Southern Alabama had almost no invasions except for some navel battles outside Mobile.
All in all the support for the Confederacy was lackluster. I would say most of my ancestors had Rett Butlers attitude toward the Confederacy.
That said some of those elite Southerners were mighty powerful and too eager to enter war. So the end result may have been the same.
Actually, the biggest planters were among the least willing secessionists. They formed the core of the Constitutional Union Party, which nominated James Bell, one of the four principal candidates for president in 1860. Their platform was one of continuation of the Union and working for Southern goals within a constitutional framework. They joined the secessionists only after it became obvious that the secession cause had in fact prevailed.
No, it doesn't. You seem like an intelligent person, and a reasonable person, so it pains me to have to tell you that this assertion is so false as to be laughable.
Some person you trusted, who likewise believed in the Glorious Lost Cause, told you this and you accepted it as an article of faith. 'T'ain't so.
Here's the Confederate Constitution. You may search high and low, but you won't find a provision which called for the abolishment of slavery.