Question

What does abolition mean in terms of the Civil War? Why would the southern states fear it?

Answer 1

Abolition in terms of the Civil War refers to the movement to end slavery in the United States. The southern states feared abolition because the economy of the southern states was heavily reliant on slave labor, especially in agriculture. The abolition of slavery would have had a major impact on the southern economy, as it would mean the loss of free labor that was crucial to the profitability of plantations and other industries in the South. Additionally, many in the southern states believed that abolishing slavery would challenge their way of life and threaten their social hierarchy. This fear of losing their economic and social status was one of the reasons the southern states were so determined to hold onto slavery and resist efforts to abolish it.