The CW was about secession, or preserving the Union, depending on which side you were on. One should read Lincoln’s first inaugural address or Grant’s Paducah Proclamation if they have any doubts. Or note that there were slave states in the Union.
Now the issue that led to secession was slavery. No doubt about it.
Now the issue that led to secession was slavery. No doubt about it.
And this is an accurate assessment.
Slavery was economically the "fossil fuel" of the South. Calls to abolish it in Southern States would be regarded as similar to calls to abolish fossil fuels today.
People dependent upon fossil fuels would look at you like you were a nut. Many of the Northern States had gone "green", and just expected everyone else to do the same thing or they were a bad person.
This is the similarities between Liberals then, and Liberals now.