The Civil War was a very important war that resulted in strengthening the nation and the government. Interestingly, the two sides had very different views on the causes of the war, what they wanted out of it, and what the war meant, leading to what is considered the bloodiest war in history. n American history, approximately six hundred thousand Confederate and Union soldiers have died in combat. But why did they all die? Depending on whether you are from the North or the South, the answer to this question will vary. In fact, the speeches of the leaders of both sides prove that each side had a very different meaning for the war and wanted very different results. Contrary to what I initially believed, this war was about much more than just slavery. While the South was very concerned about the possibility of abolishing slavery, securing their rights and gaining sovereignty was their primary motivator. The North didn't just want to end slavery. President Lincoln was much more concerned with maintaining the unity of the Union, because once one state withdrew, it would bring in others and ultimately the "United States of America" ​​would become the "States sovereigns of America. This is not to say that slavery did not play a major role in the Civil War. I feel like the Confederacy felt like they weren't getting the rights they were promised in the Constitution, but the specific right they were talking about is the right to own slaves. I find this all very ironic. The South secedes and demands equality and rights, but has a completely opposite opinion when it comes to its slaves. Lincoln promises not to abolish slavery, but what will he do next? Pass the Emancipation Proclamation. The war in general seemed to be based on some kind of history apparently... middle of paper .... The fact that the two sides had very different views on the causes of the war, on what they wanted out and about what the war meant resulted in a conflict that would change the course of American history and make us an even stronger nation. Fortunately, for us today, the North won the war and saved the Union. Our current government and nation might be radically different or not exist at all today if the South had successfully seceded. As for the slavery issue, if the South had won, slavery might have been preserved for a while, but I don't think it would have lasted forever. The Civil War was much more than just a conflict over rights and slavery. It was the war that proved America had succeeded in creating a powerful democratic government, a force to be reckoned with, whether you were a citizen, a state, or a foreign nation..