Juneteenth—celebrated every June 19 to mark the 1865 emancipation of enslaved Texans—invites us to ask why the Civil War had to be fought at all. The best way to answer is to read what the seceding states said for themselves. Their own conventions and “declarations of causes” repeat a single grievance: northern opposition to slavery. Claims that the war was mainly about abstract “states’ rights” do not survive a look at the record.

South Carolina Sounds the Alarm

South Carolina, first to leave the Union, charged that free states had shown “increasing hostility…to the institution of slavery,” broken the Fugitive Slave Act, and elected a president “hostile to the South” (South Carolina Convention, 1860) (Constitution Center). In a 2,258‑word document, the word slavery (or its synonym slave) appears 18 times; states’ rights appears exactly zero times.

Texas Declares Its “Providence” Is Slavery

Texas followed on 2 February 1861, insisting that it had entered the Union “with the…institution of negro slavery” and that abolition would threaten “the prosperity of the people and the destiny of the South‑west” (Texas Secession Convention, 1861) (tsl.texas.gov). Again, the grievance is federal refusal to protect human bondage, not a principled defense of local autonomy.

Other Gulf States Echo the Theme

• Mississippi: “Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery—the greatest material interest of the world” (Mississippi Convention, 1861).
• Georgia: “The prohibition of slavery in the Territories is the cardinal principle of this organization” (Georgia Convention, 1861).
These statements appear in each state’s published declaration (Battlefields.org, n.d.) (American Battlefield Trust).

States’ Rights? Not When Slavery Was at Risk

Ironically, the Confederate constitution took away a core state power: it forbade any member state to abolish slavery (Constitution Center, 2015) (Constitution Center). When “rights” conflicted with slavery, leaders chose slavery.

Why This Matters on Juneteenth

Juneteenth commemorates the moment freedom finally reached the last enslaved African Americans. Understanding that the war was fought because enslavers feared losing their labor system honors that freedom more fully. It also inoculates us against modern attempts to recast the Confederacy as a noble defense of local liberty rather than a rebellion to preserve racial bondage.

Key Takeaways

  1. Read the originals: Seceding states published official documents explaining their motives.
  2. Slavery dominates those documents; states’ rights are barely mentioned.
  3. Confederate leaders limited state power when it threatened slavery.
  4. Juneteenth’s freedom was won only because the Union defeated an insurrection launched to keep people enslaved.
  5. Remembering accurately honors those who were liberated and those who fought for emancipation.

References

  • Battlefields.org. (n.d.). Declaration of causes of seceding states. (American Battlefield Trust)
  • Constitution Center. (2015). Secession, the Confederate flag, and slavery. (Constitution Center)
  • South Carolina Convention. (1860). Declaration of the immediate causes which induce and justify the secession of South Carolina. (Constitution Center)
  • Texas Secession Convention. (1861, February 2). A declaration of the causes which impel the State of Texas to secede from the Federal Union. (tsl.texas.gov)