What was the primary cause of the American Civil War?

The primary cause of the American Civil War was rooted in the issues of slavery and states' rights. The conflict arose largely from the deep divisions between the Northern states, which were increasingly industrialized and largely opposed to slavery, and the Southern states, which relied on an agrarian economy that heavily depended on slave labor.

The debate over whether new states admitted to the Union would be free or slaveholding intensified sectional tensions. Southern states advocated for the right to maintain slavery as part of their economic system and argued that states should have the authority to make their own decisions regarding this practice, which connected closely to the notion of states' rights. This belief was a significant factor cited by Southern states in their decision to secede from the Union following the election of Abraham Lincoln, who was perceived as hostile to the expansion of slavery.

Furthermore, the moral and political debates surrounding slavery created irreconcilable differences between the two regions. While economic disparities were present, such as differences in capitalism and labor needs, they were largely symptoms of the fundamental disagreement over slavery and the rights of states to determine their own laws regarding that institution.

In contrast, the struggle for women's rights and disagreements over immigration policies were significant issues during the era but did not directly ignite the