The origins of the American Civil War were rooted in the desire of the Southern states to preserve and expand the institution of slavery. Historians in the 21st century overwhelmingly agree on the cen
Battle of Fort Sumter, the first hostilities of the war, as depicted by Currier and Ives
President Andrew Jackson viewed South Carolina's attempts to nullify the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 as tantamount to treason.
Picking cotton in Georgia
Slaves working in the fields, on the Confederate $100 bill, 1862–63. On the left is John C. Calhoun, on the right Columbia.
In the context of the United States, secession primarily refers to the voluntary withdrawal of one or more states from the Union that constitutes the United States; but may loosely refer to leaving a
A New Hampshire man holds a sign advocating for secession during the 2012 presidential election.
William Lloyd Garrison: "Henceforth, the watchword of every uncompromising abolitionist, of every friend of God and liberty, must be, both in a religious and political sense — 'NO UNION WITH SLAVEHOLDERS'"