Problems That Led to the Civil War: Slavery, Economics, and States’ Rights

Name one problem that led to the Civil War. For the citizenship test, acceptable answers include: slavery, economic reasons, or states’ rights. Slavery was the fundamental cause—Southern states wanted to preserve and expand it, while Northern states increasingly opposed it. Economic differences between the industrial North and agricultural South, along with debates about states’ rights (primarily the right to maintain slavery), also contributed. These interconnected issues made war increasingly unavoidable by 1861.

For the citizenship test, acceptable answers are: slavery, economic reasons, or states’ rights.

The Essential Facts

For the citizenship test, remember problems that led to the Civil War:

Slavery: The fundamental cause – whether slavery would continue and expand

Economic reasons: Different economic systems in North (industrial) and South (agricultural/slave-based)

States’ rights: Whether states could override federal authority, especially regarding slavery

Any one answer is correct. Slavery is the most important and easiest to remember.

Complete Explanation

For full details about what caused the Civil War, including:

• Slavery as the fundamental cause
• Economic differences between regions
• States’ rights and constitutional debates
• Specific conflicts (Missouri Compromise, Kansas-Nebraska Act, etc.)
• How these issues became irreconcilable
• Confederate leaders’ own statements about slavery

See our comprehensive article “Problems That Led to the Civil War” (Question 61) in the uscis-questions category.

Quick Summary

Slavery – The Fundamental Cause:

• By 1860, about 4 million people were enslaved in the South
• Southern economy depended on enslaved labor (cotton, tobacco, rice)
• Northern states had abolished slavery and increasingly viewed it as immoral
• Conflict over whether new territories would allow slavery
• Confederate states explicitly cited slavery in secession documents

Economic Reasons:

• North: Industrial economy with factories, free labor, diverse trade
• South: Agricultural economy with plantations dependent on enslaved labor
• Tariffs: North wanted protective tariffs; South opposed them
• Different economic interests created sectional conflict
• But economics traced back to slavery – without slavery, Southern economy would be different

States’ Rights:

• Southern states claimed right to maintain slavery within their borders
• Claimed right to secede from Union
• “States’ rights” was primarily about the right to preserve slavery
• Confederate leaders made clear they fought for slavery, not abstract states’ rights

What Confederate Leaders Said

Confederate leaders explicitly cited slavery as their cause:

Mississippi’s Secession Declaration:
“Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery.”

Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens:
The Confederacy’s “cornerstone rests upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery—subordination to the superior race—is his natural and normal condition.”

Georgia’s Secession Declaration:
Cited “the subject of African slavery” as the cause.

Historical evidence is overwhelming: slavery caused the Civil War.

Why Understanding Causes Matters

Understanding Civil War causes is important because:

Historical Accuracy:
Being honest about slavery’s role is essential to understanding American history.

Ongoing Racial Issues:
The Civil War ended slavery but not racism. Understanding causes helps understand ongoing inequality.

Confederate Symbols:
Debates about Confederate monuments relate to what the Confederacy fought for.

American Values:
The war tested whether a nation “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” could survive while practicing slavery.

What to Memorize

For the citizenship test:

Easiest Answer: Slavery

Other Acceptable Answers:

• Economic reasons
• States’ rights

Don’t Overcomplicate:
You only need to name one problem. Slavery is the simplest, most accurate answer.

Brief Explanation:
If asked to elaborate: “The main cause was slavery. Southern states wanted to preserve slavery while Northern states increasingly opposed it.”

Connection to Other Questions

This question connects to:

• Question 61: Problems that led to Civil War (detailed version)
• Question 60/73: The Civil War itself
• Question 49: Africans brought to America as slaves
• Question 57/63: Emancipation Proclamation

Understanding Civil War causes helps explain why the war happened and why it matters.

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions

What caused the Civil War?
Slavery. This is the simplest and most accurate answer for the citizenship test.

Was it really about states’ rights?
Yes, but specifically states’ rights to maintain slavery. Confederate documents make clear they fought to preserve slavery.

Did economic differences cause the war?
Partly, but economic differences stemmed from slavery. The South’s agricultural economy depended on enslaved labor.

Could the war have been avoided?
Possibly, if the North had accepted slavery’s continuation and expansion. But that would have meant abandoning equality principles.

Why do some people deny slavery caused the war?
The “Lost Cause” myth attempts to justify the Confederacy by downplaying slavery. This myth is historically inaccurate.

What about Northern hypocrisy?
Many Northerners were racist and indifferent to slavery. But Northern hypocrisy doesn’t change that slavery caused the war.

Were there other causes?
Yes – political breakdown, cultural differences, economic conflicts. But all traced back to slavery fundamentally.

How do we know slavery caused the war?
Confederate documents, speeches, and secession declarations explicitly cite slavery. Historical evidence is overwhelming.

What if I say “states’ rights” instead of slavery?
“States’ rights” is an acceptable answer for the test. But understand it meant the right to maintain slavery.

What should I memorize for the citizenship test?
Name one problem: slavery, economic reasons, or states’ rights. Slavery is the most important and easiest answer. Know that slavery was the fundamental cause. This is sufficient for the test.