What was the primary conflict between the Northern and Southern states during the Civil War?

The primary conflict between the Northern and Southern states during the Civil War centered on slavery. The Southern states' economies heavily relied on agriculture, particularly cotton, which depended on the use of enslaved labor. This created a fundamental divide, as the Northern states were moving toward industrialization and many were advocating for the abolition of slavery, viewing it as morally and ethically wrong.

As tensions rose, issues surrounding slavery became intertwined with various political, social, and economic factors. The Southern states sought to maintain and expand the institution of slavery, leading them to secede from the Union and form the Confederacy. The Northern states, on the other hand, aimed to preserve the Union and often included the emancipation of slaves as a central goal of their military efforts.

While states' rights, economic differences, and territorial disputes contributed to the context of the conflict, they were primarily framed around the issue of slavery, making it the defining issue of the Civil War. It was the debate over slavery that ignited the war and shaped the conflict between the two regions.