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At the time of the war, almost everyone did believe a state could secede. Lincoln was the real revolutionary, as he changed the deal on this issue. Since the war the idea of secession is a tainted one, because the south tried it and lost, and moreover because the south is perceived as having resorted to secession out of motivations to protect slavery.

The Constitution is silent on the question of the permissibility or means of secession. But at the time the Constitution was adopted few expected it to last for very long, and thought it would eventually be replaced by something new or better, just like the Articles of Confederation which it had supplanted.

Defenders of the right of secession pointed out that it had taken a voluntary act by each of the states to join the new national government under the 1788 Constitution, and this implied that a voluntary act could also get a state out of that government. (At the time the Constitution was adopted many "anti-Federalists" remained opposed to it, fearing the new national government would eventually turn into a tyranny and trample over the rights of the states. This was why they insisted on a Bill of Rights, and in particular the 9th and 10th Amendments. Those amendments don't really mean much these days, since the south lost the war). Unionists, like Grant writing in his memoirs after the war, offered a tortured argument that, well, maybe the "voluntary in, voluntary out" position was valid as applied to the original 13 states, BUT, as to states formed later, from the land claimed by those states in 1788 or bought from France, or won from Mexico, it did not apply, and since those newer states could not get out, well, then neither could the original 13 anymore. Somehow.

The southern states of 1861 were not the first to talk of secession. In the 1790s Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio talked of secession. These were the only states beyond the Appalachian Mountains, and depended on the Mississippi as their outlet for trade. But Spain then controlled the mouth of the Mississippi and would not allow them to trade, and they felt the national government was not doing anything to help them.

During the War of 1812, the entire war was bitterly opposed in New England, which had close ties to England. The war was only popular in the south and the west of that time. New Englanders grew rich carrying on a treasonable trade with England, without which England could not have maintained its armies in America. The New England states began to agitate for secession, but couldn't talk New York into going along with them. Nevertheless they went so far as to call a secession convention at Hartford, Connecticut in 1815. But by the time the convention could meet the war was over, and this took the wind from their sails.

So people from all parts of the country believed a state had the right to secede. It was Lincoln who insisted that he had to "preserve the union". Since he succeeded in doing so at gunpoint, everyone today pretty much thoughtlessly accepts that he must have been right, or thinks a still-united America was a good thing during the world wars of the 20th century.

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Why did the southern states believe states believe they had the right to secede from the union?

They believed that their rights, society and economy was endangered by Lincoln's election. They saw the only way to preserve themselves was to secede.


Why did the southern states have the right to secede?

The Declaration of Independence.


Do you believe that the southern states had the right to secede why or why not?

The question of whether the southern states had the right to secede is complex and often debated. From a constitutional perspective, many argue that the Union was intended to be perpetual, and secession violated the Constitution. Additionally, the motivations behind secession, primarily the defense of slavery, raise moral and ethical concerns. Ultimately, while states' rights were a significant issue, the legal and moral implications of secession suggest that it was not justified.


Do you believe the southern states had the right to secede and why?

The question of whether the southern states had the right to secede is complex and largely hinges on interpretations of states' rights and the Constitution. Some argue that the U.S. was founded on the principle of states' sovereignty, allowing states to withdraw from the Union if they felt their rights were being infringed upon. However, the prevailing view is that secession was unconstitutional, as the Union was intended to be perpetual, and the ensuing Civil War underscored the necessity of maintaining national unity. Ultimately, the issue remains a contentious and debated topic in American history.


Why did the southern states believe they had the right to secede of the union?

Southern states believed they had the right to secede from the Union primarily due to the principle of states' rights and the belief that the federal government was overstepping its authority. They argued that the Union was a voluntary agreement among sovereign states, and thus they could choose to leave if they felt their rights were being threatened, particularly regarding slavery. The election of Abraham Lincoln, perceived as a threat to the institution of slavery, further fueled their belief that secession was justified to protect their way of life.

Related Questions

Why did the southern states believe states believe they had the right to secede from the union?

They believed that their rights, society and economy was endangered by Lincoln's election. They saw the only way to preserve themselves was to secede.


Why did the southern states have the right to secede?

The Declaration of Independence.


Why did the southern states believe they had the right to secede from the union from the?

They believed that their rights, society and economy was endangered by Lincoln's election. They saw the only way to preserve themselves was to secede.


Why dud the southern states believe they had the right to secede from the union apex?

The nation was formed by an agreement that new states had not met.;) NJR11 @Nelsonrnjr11-insta


Declared that the Southern states did not have a constitutional right to secede?

president lincoln


Who did not believe states had the right to secede but did nothing to prevent their doing so?

James Buchanan


Do you believe that the southern states had the right to secede why or why not?

The question of whether the southern states had the right to secede is complex and often debated. From a constitutional perspective, many argue that the Union was intended to be perpetual, and secession violated the Constitution. Additionally, the motivations behind secession, primarily the defense of slavery, raise moral and ethical concerns. Ultimately, while states' rights were a significant issue, the legal and moral implications of secession suggest that it was not justified.


Did the south have the right to secede from the US?

The southern states certainly believed they had the right to secede, but most of the northern states disagreed. The question was answered by a sort of trial-by-combat called the American civil War.Because the Confederacy lost the war and the Union was preserved, it turned out that no state had the right to secede without Congressional approval.


Do you believe the southern states had the right to secede and why?

The question of whether the southern states had the right to secede is complex and largely hinges on interpretations of states' rights and the Constitution. Some argue that the U.S. was founded on the principle of states' sovereignty, allowing states to withdraw from the Union if they felt their rights were being infringed upon. However, the prevailing view is that secession was unconstitutional, as the Union was intended to be perpetual, and the ensuing Civil War underscored the necessity of maintaining national unity. Ultimately, the issue remains a contentious and debated topic in American history.


Why did the southern states believe they had the right to secede of the union?

Southern states believed they had the right to secede from the Union primarily due to the principle of states' rights and the belief that the federal government was overstepping its authority. They argued that the Union was a voluntary agreement among sovereign states, and thus they could choose to leave if they felt their rights were being threatened, particularly regarding slavery. The election of Abraham Lincoln, perceived as a threat to the institution of slavery, further fueled their belief that secession was justified to protect their way of life.


Why did southerner states believe they had the right to secede from the union?

They claimed that the USA had started as a voluntary federation of states, and that any of them could leave when they chose.


Who did not believe states had the right to secede but did nothing to prevent doing so?

The North during the Civil War area did not think the South should secede however did nothing to prevent it.