Was the American Civil War Fought Over Slavery?

If you read the documents each state sent to Washington on their reason for leaving the Union, slavery is mentioned 72% of the time or roughly at a ratio of 3-1. Louisiana, Tennessee and North Carolina did not mention slavery as a reason for leaving the Union.

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[RyanMcBethProgramming]

If you read the documents each state sent to Washington on their reason for leaving the Union, slavery is mentioned 72% of the time or roughly at a ratio of 3-1. Louisiana, Tennessee and North Carolina did not mention slavery as a reason for leaving the Union.

For uncensored video, check out my substack at:

Like my shirts? Get your own at:

Watch all of my long form videos:

Twitter:
@ryanmcbeth

Join the conversation:

Want to send me something?
Ryan McBeth Productions LLC
8705 Colesville Rd.
Suite 249
Silver Spring, MD 20910
USA

[horusman]

You're right. As noted, the daughters of the confederacy did a huge spin post civil war trying to say the issue was state's rights. Those state's rights? Slavery.

[genecaveny]

I grew up in the segregated South Carolina, and was tutored on the War of Northern Aggression, mostly in the schools and churches. People don't relish the appellation of racist, and prefer to scrub Slavery from their political ideology and ancestral economics. But I am shocked the Ryan McBeth decided to gun down the Myth of the innocent South in broad daylight. I'll donate to his defense fund.

[timward]

For those who don't think it was about slavery, they should read the Constitution of the Confederate States.

[davidballantyne]

I always say: If you know nothing about the ACW you think the ACW was about slavery. If you know a little about the ACW you think the ACW was about states rights. And if you know a lot about the ACW you know the ACW was about slavery.

[Yankee_Uniform]

"We're not racists and it wasn't about racism." Proceeds to make antisemitic remark.

[dondon]

I, Donald Shaffer, have taught about the Civil War for decades as a professional historian. I am a scholar on the subject with published writings. The war was about slavery even though some people then and now try to pretend otherwise. The states that seceded at the time wrote justifications and admitted it plainly. They left the Union because with Lincoln as President they didn't believe slavery was secure and feared without slavery blacks would rise up against them in a genocidal race war. The irony being secession brought on a war that destroyed the institution. And it was destroyed because, by 1862, northern leaders realized it was pointless to sacrifice so many lives and so much treasure without slavery's destruction. And no genocidal race war occurred. If you'd rather not buy my books, read my blog, Civil War Emancipation.

[SpadesNeil]

Come on, Ryan. The civil war was about state rights!

**cough THE RIGHT TO OWN SLAVES cough**

[seanc]

I grew up in the south and was sort of exposed to the whole "states right" thing for so many years and fell into believing that myself. Even when I went to college to study history, I still held onto the idea that the Civil War wasn't about slavery. After taking the time to learn about the topic in a course that specifically examined the Civil War & Reconstruction, I was presented with overwhelming, hardcore facts that the war was indeed over slavery. The argument that the South seceded over states rights is beyond incompressible. The South actively denied African-Americans their civil & human rights for decades. Additionally the South forced the federal government to adopt not just 1 but 2 Fugitive Slave Acts that required Northern states to return runaway slaves for face criminal charges. The Fugitive Slave Acts refute any claim the South cared about states rights because they forced other states to do something they were against. Then when people shout it was about economics, they're not wrong because it was the economics of slavery. The South failed to diversify their economy unlike the North did, which has both agriculture and manufacturing. Southern refused to modernize their economy and got butthurt over tariffs because of their own failure to build a few textile factories. If you also look at the Confederate Constitution, it establishes that slavery is the core component of its existence and would enforce it in all their territories. When Lincoln ran for office, he even promised the Southern states he wouldn't have banned slavery but he would simply prevent it from existing in the western territories. The South demanded slavery be allowed nationally and vowed to leave if they couldn't get what they wanted.

[sgtecho]

I have my Great Great Grandfather's diaries from the Civil War. In his first book he writes "I embark on a noble journey to free an enslaved

He served throughoit the entire Civil War from the beginning first with the 4th Wisconsin Volunteers and later as an Officer in the 99th U.S.C.T. (United States Colored Troops).

He along with three of his brothers also enlisted with him. He was the son of abolitionist and newspaper owner/editor James B. Hughes.

The Civil War was about Slavery!

[andrewsprout]

Thanks, Ryan. You're a good American, and most other good Americans appreciate the kind of work you do 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[Orangelover-yogn]

My favorite follow up question when people say it’s not about slavery and it’s about states rights is: “States rights to do what?” Then, I watch them try to find their next excuse

[markbaugher]

As a history teacher, I have have to say that you did a great job on this video!

[ihdieselman]

I am ashamed of the fact that I was taught that it was about atates rights and not slavery and for 37 years I have blindly accepted that as fact even though I adamantly oppose racism. Thank you for setting the record straight before I made a fool of myself spreading this lie further.

[JaiDevereaux]

John S. Mosby was the confederate army 43rd battalion commander of the "Mosby's Raiders". He was known by the nickname "Gray Ghost" for his ability to elude the Union Army. Starting in the 1890's he wrote about his displeasure over people downplaying and denying the importance of slavery in its causing the American Civil War writing: "I've always understood that we went to war on account of the thing we quarreled with the North about. I've never heard of any other cause than slavery."

[chipworrell]

Had 13 ancestors who served in the Confederacy. My Great Grandfather had his right arm shot off at battle of Kellys Ford. I'm as southern as you can get, and even I know anyone who says that war wasn't about slavery is in denial. Heard the stories still being told when I was young.

[Mighty_Atheismo]

The only thing I need from this video is 9 minutes of articulate, righteous indignation and dammit McBeth you're just the man for that job. Keep on keepin on big dog

[plucas]

You can also look up and reference the Constitution of the CSA, which enshrines the practice of slavery at length in FOUR separate sections. It was to ensure that the institution of slavery had no way to be unraveled in any legal manner in the CSA, even if individual states voted for it in their territory. Taxes, currency, and trade didn't receive half as much attention as slavery did. So guess what REALLY mattered to Southerners at the time?

[cs]

My cousin once called me because she was debating someone about the Civil War. The person she was debating was using the "South was fighting to defend its way of life" argument.

My response to her was this: "The South was fighting defend its way of life... built on and around the institution of Slavery."

[chevystuffs]

Thanks for the truth Ryan. You had it right the first time buddy but, I'm glad you did your due diligence and followed up. Good on you sir.