Since the end of the American Civil War in 1865, more than a century later, many historians still debate the precise cause of the war. Depending on who you discuss this burning issue with, everyone may come to a different conclusion. However, there are three main/general cases that most people can agree played a role in this bloody war between the people of a nation, namely slavery, pre-battles (including Bleeding Kansas and the John Brown Raid) and the election of President Lincoln. On the one hand, a common hypothesis to explain the cause of the American Civil War was that the North no longer wanted to tolerate slavery in the United States. Therefore, most people can agree that slavery was the central issue behind the other causes. The key question regarding slavery was whether or not it should exist or if it was actually necessary for the success of the nation. Many Southerners depended on slaves for their agricultural labor, including "the Southern cotton boom that rested on the backs of slaves, who grew 75 percent of the crop on plantations, working in gangs in vast fields under the supervision direct from white people” (American Promise). , 2009). On the other hand, Northerners had no need for slaves because their economy was primarily based on manufacturing and exporting. Since the founding of the United States, the issue of slavery has resurfaced several times, resulting in compromises aimed at pleasing both sides. The North believed slavery was morally corrupt, while those in the South believed it was essential to their livelihood. This conflict was also fueled by the nation's thirst for expansion into new territories. As more territory was conquered, the question arose whether the new state would be a slave state... middle of paper ... and the last major issue that resulted in war civil was the election of the Republican president. Lincoln in 1860, which added to the heated debate and ultimately led to secession between the states. Abraham Lincoln believed and made known that he believed that “slavery was evil…and that [every man] had the right to liberty and the fruits of his labor” (PowerPoint). Many Southerners (including the Whig Party) feared that President Lincoln, if elected, would outlaw slavery altogether. Because of this dispute, the Southern states (including South Carolina) began the process of secession wanting to make a political statement. This declaration, however, provoked a war in which the Northern and Western states and territories fought to preserve the Union, while the South fought to establish Southern independence as a new confederacy of 'States governed by its own constitution..