There is a popular conception regarding the cause of the Civil War, that the war was fought over the issue of slavery and that the North was battling to free the slaves. In fact, while there were some in the North who desperately wanted an end to slavery, this was not the primary cause of the war, nor was the abolition of slavery the primary purpose of the war from the northern point of view. Historians generally agree on this as they agree on many of the underlying reasons for the Civil War, reasons which were on the one hand economic, involving economic differences between North and South, and on the other political, with Abraham Lincoln pursing the war primarily to defend and protect the Union. During the course of the war, a certain number of slaves fought for the Confederacy whether from commitment or circumstances, just as some blacks fought for the North. Historians have sought to understand why some slaves fought for those considered their oppressors.
The roots of separation between the North and the South can be traced back to the early colonial period. Some of the cleavages after 1850 were embodied in the developing Federalist Party representing the mercantile interests of the North and the Republican Party representing the agrarian interests of the South. The two regions had different philosophies of government. Originally, the coastal region wanted little government interference, while the people of the interior wanted government protection. These philosophies shifted with time until the South was the region opposing government interference and the North was more willing to seek government control and protection. Though the issue was settled in piecemeal fashion over the years, the underlying conflict remained. Slavery was an issue, but it was not the only issue. Northern manufacturers and growers saw the South as having an unfair advantage, and the South jealously guarded that advantage against any abolitio...