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If it weren’t so sad, it would be funny that people actually argue that the Civil War wasn’t fought over slavery, and that, indeed, it was fought over “states’ rights.”

Geniuses; the Civil War was fought over states’ rights to own slaves!

That’s what the whole secession from the Union deal was about. That’s what gave birth to the Confederacy.

People that try to downplay the importance of slavery on all of American history must also conveniently forget that the issue was so important that it was actually written into the United States Constitution.

1787’s Three-Fifths Compromise guaranteed that as far as distribution of taxes and the appointment of members to the House of Representative were concerned, 3/5ths of the population of slaves would be taken into account in slaveholders’ favor.

Think they gave any of those slaves the votes or the tax money?

Nope.

Still, I guess it’s embarrassing to admit that a country that was founded on the principle that “all men are created equal” (a slave owner’s quote) and describes itself as the “land of the free” (you guessed it, another slave owner’s quote) actually had to fight a war over whether or not it was the right thing to do to free men from chattel slavery.

But there had to be more causes for the Civil War than slavery, right?

Well, depends on who you ask.

Ask.com writer Martin Kelly actually gives the Top Five Causes for the Civil War.

1)      Economic differences between the North and South—that were brought about due to slavery.

2)      States Rights vs. Federal Rights—as they pertained to the hotly contested issue of slavery.

3)      The Fight between Slave and Non-Slave State Proponents—need I?

4)      Growth of that Abolition Movement—are you noticing a theme here?

5)      The Election of Abraham Lincoln—who had already declared that he was “personally” anti-slavery. He was “professionally” pro-Union. Work that out however you have to.

So yeah, slavery was the only true cause of the Civil War.

And anybody that tries to tell you otherwise deserves to get screamed on by Joe Wilson.

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