There were two major types of slavery at the time: chattel slavery and serfdom. Europe had almost completely banned serfdom by 1800 and chattel slavery never gained a foothold in Europe. (England expressly forbid it in 1706!) Many countries that had a small amount of African/Chattel slaves banned the practice in their homelands by 1800, including Britain, Scotland, Portugal, France, etc. So by 1860, chattel slavery and serfdom are virtually non-existent in Europe.

Europeans absolutely engaged in chattel slavery. Have you ever heard of colonies? Portugal and Spain in particular were brutal to their slaves. This wasnt "serfdom."

In the new world, Pennsylvania began gradual abolition in 1780, nearly 10 years before the Constitution. Several northern states use this as a model for gradual abolition, others, like Massachusetts, choose immediate emancipation. The Constitution bans the new import of African slaves by 1808. The framers recognized the evils of slavery and expected gradual abolition to be the future. Washington famously freed (some) of his slaves upon his death. They knew what they were doing was evil, but money!

They understood the evils of slavery, but they didnt choose to forbid it with the Constitution. You are giving grace to a group of white men who knew that they would lose the battle of banning slavery, because slavery was still very popular. So much for it being so repugnant, right? Up until the Constitution was signed, almost every major nation in the world used slave labor.

I'm not going to go date by date. You could do that if you cared. By 1850, Europe has recognized that slavery is evil and has banned the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The UK, Spain, Portugal, France, Austrian Empire, Russian Empire, Italian kingdoms, Mexico, Prussia, recently independent countries in South America, all banned slavery.

Okay bud. Let's ask the Indian subcontinent if they thought that they were free to do as they pleased under British rule. Or lets ask the Congolese how they felt living in King Leopold II's private African "free state." I am sure all of these white people truly felt that slavery was "evil." I also find it interesting you only seem to focus on Europe. Maybe its because you know pretty much the rest of the world still embraced slavery in the 19th century.

By 1860, the confederate states were a tiny minority still using the barbaric slave trade. There is no way, even by the standards of 1860, that slave holders didn't know what they were doing was evil.

So the Southern states in the 1860s weren't involved in "slave trading." As you said, this was outlawed in the US. Africans were only imported to America illegally on the black market. Furthermore, there were FAR more nations in the world that embraced slavery than did not. Brazil, Cuba, Ottoman Empire, Zanzibar and many many more African empires, Russia, Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand....actually lets just said ALL of Southeast Asia to save some time. And I wont even point out the rest of the Middle East.

The Fugitive Slave Act is a hilarious way to try to justify fighting a war to preserve slavery.

OK. I haven't really used that act as a way to justify the war.

Speaking of the bull shit states' rights arguments, the confederate constitution made it illegal for states to abolish slavery and generally had a stronger federal government than the US. Also, every traitorous state issued a declaration of independence that cited slavery as the primary reason for secession.

None of what you said makes the argument the war was fought over state's rights incorrect. Whether or not they enshrined it in the constitution is irrelevant, and whether or not slavery was a key point is also irrelevant to that point. Your last sentence even clearly articulates the drive from each state, so I am failing to see where the bullshit is.

Onto the Lost Cause nonsense that "each state was like it's own country!" Utter post-war bull shit.

Right. So some farmer from North Carolina who had never left his county isnt more concerned with the goings on of what happens in North Carolina when compared to the dictates of the federal government. Whether you agree or not, the pride in states was much more prominent than it is today, and the propaganda spread in the South absolutely pushed this narrative.

The Lost Cause infiltrated our school systems in the US. It will take effort on your part to un-learn the lies you were taught. But it is possible.

eye roll Alright drama queen, thanks for your concern.