Secession is the act of withdrawing from a country or states which occurred during the time period of 1860. The southern states had the right as a state to leave or break away from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. Founded in 1861 made up of the majority of southern states that legalize slavery for their economy. The secession of the Southern States from Union was caused by numerous events leading up to the civil war. Slavery and territory were the main causes the Southern States seceded from the Union.

Slavery, due to the abolitionists fighting to abolish slavery which was detrimental to the southern society income. As well as territory becoming established as free or as a slave state which rose tension between the south and the north. The secession of the southern states was caused by many factors but the slavery and territory were one of the main causes.    One of the main causes of the southern secession was slavery, the southern states relied on the production of slavery for economic reasons.

Agriculture was the main income in the south, slaveholders and plantation owners rely on slaves for their crops ultimately relying on the number of goods can be sold. Over millions of barrels of cotton were sent to Great Britain and other trading countries. Their economy rested in the hands of the slaves, which the Northern States disliked becoming anti-slavery, abolishing slavery by 1804. “…

every American citizen, who retains a human being in involuntary bondage, is a man-stealer”(Document 4). The Declaration of the Immediate Causes states “…

institution of slavery– the greatest material interest of the world…labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth.”(Document 8).  This Declaration states the importance of slavery for the Southern States which the north disproved.

Being used for intensive labor to provide their commerce and income, that was forced upon slaves in America. “…no choice left us but submission to the mandates of abolition, or a dissolution of Union…”(Document 8).

Interfering with the southern slave trade, and the movement for abolishing slavery deteriorating their southern economy, resulting to secede from the Union. The Northerners have angered that the south considered slavery as a positive good “..

.insists that slavery is a “positive good”…

no power in the Union can touch the construction of southern society…” (Document 3). Stating that slavery was a positive good did initiate response from the North rising tension ultimately a cause for secession.Slavery is one of the causes of the southern secession as well as the territorial crisis.

The annexation of new territories added to the United States from the idea of manifest destiny rose tension from the north and south. Political party platform from the 1860 presidential campaign states “…we deny the authority of Congress, of a territorial legislature, or any individuals, to give legal existence to slavery in any territory of the United States”(Document 6). The Compromise of 1860 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act were acts placed to allow popular sovereignty to determine slavery in each territory.

Popular Sovereignty is the act where the federal government does not interfere and allows citizens to determine the extension of slavery beyond the southern states. “… all citizens of the United States have an equal right to settle with their property in the Territory” (Document 6).

The northern states voted against slavery in the new territories confining slavery only to the south, while the south voted for wanting to access more farmland for plantations and crops. Kansas and Nebraska entered the Union unbalancing the number of representatives, and unbalancing the number of slave states. “…if we allow slaves to enter any territorial acquisition, our own free labor must be excluded from it..

.”(Document 9). Slavery and Territorial crisis tie together causing the Southern States to secede from the Union.

Forming The Confederate States.The secession of the Southern States occurred in 1860 withdrawing from the Union. The Confederate States of America was founded in 1861 which consisted of the southern states, and the legalization of slavery. The secession of the Southern State was caused by many factors which included slavery detrimental to the southern society income and territorial rights establishing as free or as a slave state. These were the main reasons that the south has threatened to secede which resulted in the secession of Southern States, also led up the civil war between the Union and the Confederate States of America.