So my professor told me Democracies never go to war in class a few days ago

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TheRealMafoo said:

PhoenixKing said:

TheRealMafoo said:
THe civil war started in 1861. Slavery was not outlawed until after the war, in 1868.

It has less to do with slavery, and more to do with the souther states not liking the federal government taking over there laws (that suited the north much more then the south).

Now if only there was a way to accomplish what they were trying to do, without war. That would be awesome. Time has proven them right.

There was still the fear of Lincoln abolishing slavery, which was admittedly unfounded at the time, it was also fiercely debated and was a major reason for the events that took place in 1861-1868. Buchanan's inaction may have been one of the main reasons it happened but to try and devalue the issue of slavery that was one of the main driving forces behind that decision to break away from the Union is, with all due respect, a rather naive thing to do.

Slavery was the issue of the time. It would be like if the federal government today told every state that they could no longer sell meat. The issue we would have with that is more that the federal government does not have that authority, and less to do with meat.

if in 150 years from now, the most disgusting thing those people could think we did, was eat meat, then they would feel the issue of today was far more about meat, and less about states rights.

Same thing here is all I am saying. 

Import tariffs, another States' Rights issue, also had a heavy hand in things.  The North used its political power to enforce unjust tariffs on the South in an effort to keep Southern farmers buying goods from Northern manufacturers as opposed to importing cheaper goods from Europe. The Morril Tariff proposed in 1860 was nearly as bad as the Tariff of Abominations of 1828.  Given that South Carolina almost came to blows with the Federal Goverment then, it was no surprise they pulled out in 1860.