TheRaven, you state: “The American Civil War was not fought over slavery, no matter how loud you shout and how high you jump up and down, it was driven by money and power just like all war and politics always have been.”

So, answer this: If the core of the Old South’s power was founded upon whites profiting from the exploitation of slave labor--which required more than three centuries of extensive legal, political, social, religious and economic structures to subjugate, decimate and dehumanize black Africans—how can the Civil War not be about slavery?

Slavery as practiced first in southern colonies and later in southern states was not simply an oppressive economic relationship, i.e., “slave labor.” Rather, it was the whites’ brutal and systematic domination, subjugation, degradation, familial and cultural annihilation of black Africans. Law, religion, and ideology were systematically and purposefully used in southern colonies and states to create the myth of black Africans as an inferior, subhuman race, which served to justify whites’ oppression of black Africans under the regime of slavery. Further, whites maintained the domination of black Africans through the of institution slavery by destroying black African families and culture. Slave families were literally broken up and ripped apart when slave ships landed, and black African language, religion, cultural and tribal identity were annihilated.

Since eradicating slavery—the source of the Old South’s power—threatened the existence of the Old South’s entire political/social/economic order, the Civil War was certainly fought over slavery. (And while the Civil War ended the formal institution of slavery, it did not end another century of racial subjugation/caste forced on African-Americans during the post-civil war Jim Crow era through the 1960’s).

"The vast majority of people in the South didn't own slaves, and slaves tended to cost more than normal farm hands".

So why then did slave owners keep slaves instead of paying farm hands? Stupidity or out of the goodness of their hearts?

Nice non-sequitor: Even assuming that “the vast majority of people in the South didn't own slaves,” that doesn’t negate that the “core of the Old South’s power was founded upon whites profiting from the exploitation of slave labor.” The central feature of old southern agricultural wealth—the plantation system—could not exist without slavery. Although among whites in the South there existed significant disparities in class so that most whites did not own large plantations does not negate the fact that the plantation system as it then existed could not function without slavery.

Moreover, slavery as practiced first in southern colonies and later in southern states was not simply an oppressive economic relationship, i.e., “slave labor.” Rather, it was the whites’ brutal and systematic domination, subjugation, degradation, familial and cultural annihilation of black Africans. Law, religion, and ideology were systematically and purposefully used in southern colonies and states to create the myth of black Africans as an inferior, subhuman race, which served to justify whites’ oppression of black Africans under the regime of slavery. Further, whites maintained the domination of black Africans through the of institution slavery by destroying black African families and culture. Slave families were literally broken up and ripped apart when slave ships landed, and black African language, religion, cultural and tribal identity were annihilated.

Since eradicating slavery—the source of the Old South’s power—threatened the existence of the Old South’s entire political/social/economic order, the Civil War was certainly fought over slavery. (And while the Civil War ended the formal institution of slavery, it did not end another century of racial subjugation/caste forced on African-Americans during the post-civil war Jim Crow era through the 1960’s).

A truly ridiculous account of history. Who brainwashed you? What wierdo websites and books have you been reading?

"If the core of the Old South’s power was founded upon whites profiting from the exploitation of slave"

It wasn't.

The vast majority didn't have slaves, and slaves costed more to keep than actual farm hands did.

" So why then did slave owners keep slaves instead of paying farm hands?"

Plantation owners didn't.

Most of farmers didn't keep slaves. Most of the slaves around the time of the civil war all worked inside.

"that doesn’t negate that the “core of the Old South’s power was founded upon whites profiting from the exploitation of slave labor.”"

Actually, it does completely.

The South's power came from trading with Europe, which the North destroyed with tarrifs.

Its that simple.

"A truly ridiculous account of history. Who brainwashed you? What wierdo websites and books have you been reading?"

Its called the truth.

Why else would slavery not come up until the Emancipation Proclamation, which even allowed slavery to exist afterwards?

Damn you are stupid.

If slavery had nothing to do with the economics of the South, than why was their such resentment following their emancipation?

On a side note, do you think it was just a coincidence that segregation was most prevalent in former Confederate states?

" If slavery had nothing to do with the economics of the South, than why was their such resentment following their emancipation?"

1. There was more resentment to "carpet baggers", i.e. northerns who came south.

2. Racism was established decades later because of the vast amount of poverty that occured from the South BEING BURNT TO THE GROUND.

3. Racism isn't unique to the South, and happened throughout the North.

OK then I demand that the American flag no longer be flown due to the fact that it was used to lead US troops into combat against Natives just because the skin happened to be red…….

"2. Racism was established decades later because of the vast amount of poverty that occured from the South BEING BURNT TO THE GROUND."

The KKK was founded by confederate troops in 1866. They were against people other than blacks, but they were without a doubt racist. In 1871, before you say racism was even established in the south, the Civil Rights Act of 1871. It's main purpose was to help protect southern blacks from the KKK.

"3. Racism isn't unique to the South, and happened throughout the North."

It is most definitely still happening in North, but was by far shadowed by what was happening in the South. Try looking at any statistics involving segregation of the North vs the South before you just list statements without any backing.

"The KKK was founded by confederate troops in 1866. They were against people other than blacks, but they were without a doubt racist."

Actually, when you hate all outsiders, thats not true racism.

The KKK didn't become a racist organization until later. Before, they were mostly anti-Immigrant and anti-Catholic.

Please, at least find a history book before you start spreading more of this nonsense.

"It is most definitely still happening in North, but was by far shadowed by what was happening in the South."

And by that, you mean pretended to happen more in the South in order to distract from the real racism, such as in Oakland, Detroit, Philadelphia, etc, that has blacks forced to live in horrible schools and with lots of violence as their Democratic slave owners keep them poor and ignorant to keep getting re-elected, right?

Because if you don't mean the above, then you haven't a clue about real racism.

You people might as well give up on San and Raven, they obviously know everything and nothing anyone ever says to them will prove otherwise.

Slavery in America was unique comapred to slavery anywhere else in the world. It was, truly, a peculiar institution, patriarchal in nature much as an owner would love thier dog or a favorite pet.

That much of the souths argicutler was based on slave labor is not in dispute, anyone claiming that it wasn;t is an idiot and should be summarily ignored.

Was slavery the reason the Civil War started? Of course not, no one here is claiming it was except the people that are claiming someone else is claiming it.

But it was a major, if not *the* major component of the war by the end, and was always an important aspect even in the begining.

If slavery was not an important aspect of the war, then why did the south announce they would execute any northern white officer commanding black troops? Why did they plan on invading and conquering free states so they could get their slaves back? Why did they capture free blacks that never were slaves in their lives and make them slaves on capture?

Slavery was an integral aspect of the American Civil War, and anyone caiming it was not, or worse that it had no impact what so ever on the war, is an idiot. There's no nice way to say it.