Quote Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger View Post
I agree that the primary reason for the divergence of the North and the South was the disparity in economic systems, but I think you are putting too much emphasis on the role slavery played in the motivations of those who fought for the South. Slaves were an expensive luxury that most Southerners would never have, especially considering the fact that the South continued the ban on new importation. The vast majority of Southern whites worked their own farms or on those of others. The federal tariffs and other laws which increasingly favored Northern industry at the expense of Southern agriculture hurt these non-slave owning Southerners just as badly, if not more so. For most, the war was about the North dominating the South through the federal government.
I agree that regular old Johnny had no bone in this fight, but the men whom voted on secession did. The tariffs affected the yeoman very little as he had very little to sell internationaly to begin with.

The North dominated the south only because the elite in the South refused to change due to the fact they had rigged the game in the first place. Domonation only came when the Southern elite refused to see the writing on the wall and felt the only true explanation could be those damned Yanks were trying to poach on their way of life.

I dont mean to come off sounding as classist but the American South was exactly that and the majority of Southeners were forced into a war they did not want.