re: Here’s my problem with the idea of the civil war was fought over slavery

Huh?

Even still that many people can’t each own a slave and when you factor in plantations that number shrinks even more. It’s just not possible.

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Here’s my problem with the idea of the civil war was fought over slavery

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From the Alabama Ordinance of Secession, January 1861:

" it is the desire and purpose of the people of Alabama to meet the slaveholding States of the South, who may approve such purpose, in order to frame a provisional as well as permanent Government upon the principles of the Constitution of the United States"

I believe that every single state featured it in their speeches of secession

Its more complicated than most would like to admit. Once Lincoln ordered the union troops to not surrender Fort Sumter, the war began over the southern states’ right to leave the union. However, the reason for war changed after the Battle of Antietam in which the Union claimed victory (it was more of a stalemate, but the Southern troops retreated back to Virginia). After the battle, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed Slaves in Southern States. This was a bold move that carried many risks, but it eventually paid off for him. He planned this executive order early on, but he waited for a victory in a large battle to issue it. Signing the EP was a political move which had the goal of making the war about slavery. He hoped it would prevent foreign countries from recognizing the Confederacy and providing support (Britain and France) as it would be less likely they would support a country that was fighting to keep slavery. Signing the EP also resulted in some Union troops refusing to fight to free enslaved blacks. These were mostly union troops from the Midwest. The Confederacy also used the EP as propaganda in the south to support the war effort, as most southerners were appalled by the idea of freeing the slaves. This was a double edged sword. It was highly effective propaganda but using it made the Confederacy admit the war was now about the issue of slavery.

Dude check the census records. They don't lie. About 1 in 4 white adult males owned at least one slave in the slave holding states.

I've looked at these records while doing genealogy. Turns out my ancestors owned slaves (and they weren't rich, just middle class). I scanned the counties in question and just eyeballing it, 1 in 4 looks right.

We didn't break Germany or Japan into new US States or colonies after we beat them?

“Slaves outnumbered free men in South Carolina”


And weren’t South Carolina and Mississippi the only southern states where this happened?

Virginia had 1.1 million at the time to 400k slaves for example.

And wealthy Northeners owned slaves as well...you left out that glaring detail

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Virginia

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The Virginia secession ordinance also pointed to slavery as the key driver.