Obfuscation of history is the privilege of the Victors. The slavery issue was much more complex than merely oppressing a few million black field hands, so essential to producing the labor intensive, and extremely valuable, crop of cotton. Each slave counted as 3/5's of a human being; that many votes accruing to their "owner." This compromise satisfied the North that could not countenance a black African's worth being a full 5/5 human. The agrarian South had little industry, was very much Rich or Poor. Its population was stagnant while the industrial North was growing by immigration. More slave states meant more Senators for the South. That was the prime motivation since the South had always held the Presidency by virtue of the Senate majority. The Poor fought for their rights certainly, but primarily because their homes were being invaded by hostile armies. Self defense. A prime field hand cost roughly $1,000.00 - back then! "Owning" meant responsible, costly, caring for them. This fact naturally meant a level of respect, even paternalist fondness, that is impossible for us to imagine today, so brainwashed we have become. It would be stupid, financial suicide to beat and abuse them. Blacks, seen in vast numbers at first Manassas, alarmed the Yankees. They did not understand the dynamic. We still don't. A bit jumbled, sorry.....
