American History Hit What Caused the Civil War? | Secession
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Sep 25, 2025 Chandra Manning, Historian and Georgetown University professor, dives into the complex events leading to the Civil War. She highlights how Lincoln's election triggered Southern secession, particularly in South Carolina, and discusses the pro-slavery platform adopted by Southern Democrats. Manning emphasizes that secession ordinances explicitly focused on slavery, challenging lost-cause myths. She explores the pivotal moments, including Virginia's reluctance and the strategic attack on Fort Sumter, revealing how a blend of political power and coercion fueled the nation’s descent into war.
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South Carolina Led With Planned Strategy
- South Carolina's political structure amplified slaveholder power and enabled rapid secession action.
- Leaders had planned secession mechanics for months, including unratifying the Constitution to leave the Union.
Ordinances Named Slavery As Central Cause
- Secession ordinances explicitly cite slavery, Lincoln's election, and northern personal liberty laws as causes.
- Southern leaders demanded a federal government that actively promoted and protected slavery.
South Wanted Central Power For Slavery
- Southern leaders sought a strong central government that defended slavery, not states' rights in the Northern sense.
- They had long dominated federal institutions and feared losing that control after 1860.
