Question

Why did Southern states secede?
(1 point)

Answer 1

Southern states seceded from the Union primarily due to disputes over states' rights and the institution of slavery. The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, who was seen as anti-slavery, heightened fears among Southern states that their way of life, including the economic reliance on slavery, was under threat. This led to the belief that they had the right to leave the Union to preserve their social and economic systems, ultimately resulting in the formation of the Confederacy and the onset of the Civil War.