What caused the Civil War? Most historians argue convincingly, based on a wealth of evidence, that slavery was the primary cause of the conflict. But many Americans tell pollsters that the war was a product of constitutional questions, states' rights, even economic differences. Who is right and what difference does it make? In this presentation, a professor of history at the University of Detroit Mercy, will explore the competing causes that Americans have suggested for the Civil War, explain how slavery led to the conflict, and discuss why getting this right is important to our identity as Americans and our understanding of current racial questions.

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