Break Away Or Secede Dbq Essay

Many southerners believed that they should break away or secede, from the United States. In December 1860, almost two months after Abraham Lincoln was elected president South Carolina decided to secede. By February 1, 1861, six more states – Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas-had seceded.

Representatives from the seven seceding states meet in Montgomery, Alabama. On February 8, they formed their own government. It was called the Confederate states of America or the Confederacy. The Confederacy adopted a constitution that supported states’ rights and slavery. The Confederate Constitution said that its congress could not pass laws that denied “the right of property in…… slaves.” The Confederacy also elected Jefferson

That is why Lincoln continued to say that his goal was not to abolish slavery, it was to keep the union together. Lincoln soon learned that neither would come fast or easy. The conflict between the north and the south grew quickly for a number of reasons. For Lincoln and the rest of the north, the main reason for fighting the war was to preserve, and keep together the union. However many thought they were fighting to end slavery. Southerners were fighting the war to preserve the states right and slavery. Many southerners thought they were fighting for their way of life and

This battle was a three day struggle on both sides. Since this was the farthest north the confederacy had backed into union territory. This battle started July 1, 1863. The confederacy was led by Robert E Lee. The Confederacy pushed the union back but missed an opportunity to pursue the northerners and follow up their attack. By the second day more union soldiers had arrived. The confederacy had started attacking again, but the union army held their ground. On July 3, 1863 the southern troops made an attack on the north called Pickett’s Charge. They marched through an open space toward the well protected union troops. The attack was a disaster. More than 5,000 confederates were killed or wounded. This battle was an important battle for the union. Lees advance into the north was stopped and he retreated back into Virginia. It also was a costly battle for both sides. There were more than 23,000 union casualties and more than 28,000 confederacy