My reason to take issue with your post was that it still doesn't address the basic question. Cotton or some other form of financial enrichment was the reason for slavery to exist. But, this financial enrichment, or I believe more accurately stated by 1860, the equity built up in the institution of slavery, existed in a number of other countries that emancipated their slaves without violence. So other than a simplistic view that all Southerners are inherently evil, why could not the United States have emancipated its slaves peacefully, as almost, if not all other countries did?

What were the circumstances, personalities, politics, etc., that came together so tragically to result in a terrible war?

Jim