Causes of the Civil War

Was the Civil War fought solely over the issue of slavery? Or did divergent social, economic, and political factors play a larger role? Many Historians maintain that slavery was the main cause. In Lincoln's second inaugural address in 1865, Lincoln said of slavery, "All knew that this interest was, somehow, the cause of the war." But most Historians agree that the Civil War had a number of causes. They note especially the division between the North and South - that is, the differences in economics, ideals, and ways of life. Yet all explanations for the cause of the war have always involved…