One of the most convoluted themes in history is that of the meaning of war. The American Civil War specifically offers many different explanations as to the true cause for which over 600,000 men dedicated themselves and lost their lives. The Civil War was particularly so, in that there was no universal acceptance of the aims or causes of the war on either side. Union and Confederate leaders defined distinct reasons for the fighting, amplifying the hostility between the two regions before and during the war. The Confederacy insisted that, based on overwhelming feelings, its secession was an inevitability that was within the bounds of constitutional law. The South justified this secession and the resulting violence by claiming that the federal government had become tyrannical and was infringing on state rights. In the years leading up to the Civil War, a relevant issue for both sides was the question of the implementation of slavery in the newly admitted states as the nation expanded westward. The subject of slavery in this case was more political than moral, as the issue revolved around the concept of representation in Congress. The North has focused its efforts on preventing the union from splitting into separate factions. From the Union's perspective, the Civil War represented a fight to protect the union of the states and the future of democracy for the entire world. The Civil War, for both the Union and the Confederacy, was a struggle to preserve each side's conception of legal and natural rights as it related to liberty for all. Throughout the war, both sides made substantial efforts to gain support from nations abroad. Foreign recognition and support from the south...... middle of paper ......, and both claimed to fight against the tyranny of the other. The Union sought to end the tyranny of the minority before it brought about the destruction of democracy. The Confederacy felt abused by the tyranny of the majority. The Union argued that it was impossible for the South to “legally” separate from the United States. The South insisted that state's rights were paramount in secession and that it was possible to secede peacefully and legally. The issues that divided the North and South were both complex and fundamental and persist to this day. The causes, purposes, and importance of the war to us as Americans remain part of our national debate as we debate issues of representative government, majority/minority tyranny, and importance of respecting constitutional principles..