What major event led to the Civil War?

The issue of slavery and states' rights was the primary catalyst for the Civil War, fundamentally shaping the socio-political landscape of the United States in the mid-19th century. Tensions between Northern and Southern states had been escalating for decades, driven by differing economic interests, cultural beliefs, and political ideologies.

In the South, an economy largely reliant on agriculture and slave labor fostered a strong defense of slavery as an institution. Southern states asserted their right to decide on the legality of slavery within their borders and championed the principle of states' rights, arguing that individual states should have the autonomy to govern themselves without federal intervention. This perspective clashed with the Northern states, where an industrial economy was developing, and where many people were increasingly opposed to slavery on moral and ethical grounds.

Key events like the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act further heightened these tensions, sparking violent conflicts such as "Bleeding Kansas." Additionally, the Dred Scott decision by the Supreme Court, which denied citizenship to African Americans and reaffirmed the legality of slavery in the territories, exacerbated Northern concerns.

Ultimately, the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, who ran on a platform that