Review Submitted: Slavery or States' Rights? The Truth They Don’t Teach in School

Introduction: History or Mythology?

The American Civil War (1861–1865) left over 620,000 dead, tore the country in two, and forever altered the United States. But more than 150 years later, we’re still fighting over why it happened.

Was it really about slavery, the evil institution that enslaved millions of Black Americans?
Or was it about states' rights, a political clash between federal overreach and local sovereignty?

If you ask historians, textbooks, politicians—or your uncle at Thanksgiving—you’ll get wildly different answers. But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

The “states’ rights” narrative isn’t just misleading—it’s a historical smokescreen.

In this article, we dive into the primary documents, declarations, and political realities of the time to challenge the sanitized, oversimplified versions of Civil War history—and expose the ideological battles that continue today.

Section 1: The Textbook Version vs. the Politicized Version

What Schools Often Teach:

The Civil War was caused by economic differences, tariffs, and industrial vs. agricultural conflict.
Slavery played a role, but it was secondary to constitutional debates over federal authority.
The war wasn’t about racism—it was about sovereignty.

What Actually Happened:

Every single secession declaration cited slavery as a primary cause.
Southern leaders were explicit about preserving slavery.
“States’ rights” was invoked only when it protected slavery—not as a universal principle.

So why does the “states’ rights” myth persist? Because it reframes the Confederacy as noble defenders of liberty, rather than a rebellion to protect white supremacy.

Section 2: What the Confederate States Said for Themselves

Let’s go straight to the sources. When Southern states seceded, many released “Declarations of Causes” explaining their reasons.

Mississippi’s Declaration (1861):

“Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery—the greatest material interest of the world.”

Texas’s Declaration:

“We hold, as undeniable truths, that the governments of the various states... were established exclusively by the white race.”

Georgia’s Declaration:

“For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery.”

Let’s be clear: they weren’t vague. They didn’t mince words.
They said slavery, out loud, over and over again.

Section 3: The “States’ Rights” Argument—Used Selectively

If the South was truly fighting for states’ rights:

Why did they support the Fugitive Slave Act, which forced Northern states to return escaped slaves—even if their own laws forbade it?
Why did the Confederacy write a constitution that banned states from abolishing slavery?

The truth? The only “state right” they were interested in was the right to own slaves.

They wanted more power only when it served that interest. When states’ rights threatened slavery? Suddenly, federal supremacy was just fine.

Section 4: The Role of Abraham Lincoln and the Union

Lincoln’s Position:

Contrary to popular belief, Lincoln didn’t initially call for abolition. His 1860 campaign emphasized preventing the expansion of slavery, not eliminating it outright.

“I have no purpose to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists.” —Lincoln, 1861

The Southern states still saw this as a threat. Why? Because they knew the long game:
Limit slavery’s growth, and eventually, it will die.

Lincoln’s election was the final straw—not because of what he did, but what he represented:

A government no longer willing to expand and protect slavery.

That’s what triggered secession.

Section 5: Economic Differences? Yes. But Rooted in Slavery.

Some argue that the war was economic—Southern agriculture vs. Northern industry. But here’s the twist:

The Southern economy was built entirely on slave labor.

Cotton exports accounted for more than 50% of U.S. exports before the war—and slavery was the engine behind that wealth.

So yes, the conflict was economic.
But the economy itself was built on racial bondage.

You can’t separate the two. They’re inseparable.

Section 6: The Lost Cause Myth and the Sanitizing of History

After the war, the South lost the battlefield—but won the battle of memory.

Enter: The “Lost Cause” Narrative

This was a coordinated effort to:

Portray Confederate soldiers as noble patriots
Reframe the war as a valiant stand for liberty, not slavery
Cast slavery as benevolent or irrelevant
Blame Reconstruction for racial unrest, not centuries of oppression

Textbooks were rewritten. Monuments were erected. And the real causes of the war were erased or distorted.

This myth has persisted for over a century—and still influences debates today.

Section 7: Modern Political Echoes—Why This Still Matters

In 2024, debates over Confederate flags, statues, and “heritage” vs. hate are still raging.

Why? Because how we tell the story of the Civil War defines how we understand race, freedom, and justice today.

When someone claims the war “wasn’t about slavery,” they’re:

Erasing the words of the secessionists themselves
Deflecting responsibility from institutional racism
Feeding into modern whitewashing of American history

It’s not just academic.
It’s about who gets to control the narrative—and why.

Section 8: What About the Union Soldiers? Didn’t Some Fight for States’ Rights Too?

Not every Union soldier fought to free slaves. Many fought:

To preserve the Union
For regional pride
For pay or adventure

But the cause of the Confederacy—enshrined in their founding documents—was clear:
Slavery must be preserved.

The North’s reasons may have been mixed. But the South’s? Crystal clear.

Conclusion: The Truth Is In the Documents

Was the Civil War about slavery or states’ rights?

Here’s the answer:

States’ rights were the excuse. Slavery was the reason.

You don’t have to guess. You don’t need to theorize. The Confederates told us exactly what they were fighting for. We just have to listen—and stop rewriting history to make it more comfortable.

We can’t move forward as a country until we’re honest about our past.
And the truth? It’s ugly—but necessary.

Final Thought: Share the Facts, Not the Fiction

Don’t let “heritage” erase truth
Don’t fall for the Lost Cause myth
Challenge every textbook, classroom, or politician that sanitizes this story

History isn’t about feelings—it’s about facts.
And the facts are clear: Slavery caused the Civil War. Anything else is revisionism.