What was one major issue that contributed to the Civil War?

The major issue that contributed to the Civil War was slavery, which served as the central point of conflict between the Northern and Southern states. The South's economy was heavily reliant on an agricultural system that depended on enslaved labor, while the North was increasingly industrialized and moving towards a more wage-labor-based economy. The moral and ethical implications of slavery, coupled with its entrenchment in the social and economic fabric of Southern society, led to deep-seated tensions.

Debates about the expansion of slavery into new territories and states further fueled the conflict. The Southern states wanted to preserve and expand the institution of slavery, while many in the North sought to limit or abolish it entirely. This divergence in beliefs contributed to political strife, culminating in the secession of Southern states from the Union and the onset of the Civil War.

While trade tariffs, immigration, and states’ rights did play roles in the broader context of American political and social issues during that era, they were not as fundamentally central to the conflict as slavery was. The emphasis on slavery as a primary cause of the Civil War reflects the profound impact it had on shaping the nation’s destiny during that period.