The war began primarily as a result of the long-running debate about the enslavement of African American people. The issue of slavery had been a source of tension between the Northern and Southern states since the country's founding. In the years leading up to the Civil War, the debate over slavery had intensified, with Northern states increasingly opposed to the practice while Southern states were determined to protect it.
In 1860, Abraham Lincoln, a Republican candidate who was opposed to the expansion of slavery, was elected president of the United States. His victory was seen by many Southerners as a threat to their way of life, and in response, eleven Southern states seceded from the Union. These states formed the Confederate States of America and elected Jefferson Davis as their president.
The Confederate states were determined to maintain their independence, while the United States government was committed to preserving the Union. The war that ensued was one of the bloodiest and deadliest conflicts in American history, with more than 600,000 people killed.
In the end, the Union victory led to the abolition of slavery and the reunification of the country. The Civil War had a profound impact on the United States, and its legacy continues to shape American society today.
Here are the eleven states that seceded from the Union:
* South Carolina
* Mississippi
* Florida
* Alabama
* Georgia
* Louisiana
* Texas
* Virginia
* Arkansas
* Tennessee
* North Carolina