Here's another one:
Was slavery the main cause for the secession of the Southern states? If so, in how far? What other reasons could be argued for, and were there any that had no connection to the issue of slavery at all?
I am by no means an expert and lack any cultural connection to the ACW era (I'm European), but the primary sources I consulted so far (several states' declarations of secession) all state slavery, or fear of imminent abolishing of slavery rather, as the central reason for secession. Yet, many people tend to bring up the much cited "States' rights" when it comes to discussing the reasons for secession. What, if any, is the connection between those two issues? Are they not to be understood to be synonymous in this context?