In 1861 six states of the USA seceded from the American union and declared themselves independent. They formed a new, rival country known as the Confederate States of America. In the months that followed, an additional seven other states quickly followed suit, slicing the former United States of America into two clearly-divded rival factions.

The Civil War that followed has become a major event of American historical lore. Countless books, reenactments, and commemorative plates have all been churned out in the decades since. But why was the Civil War even fought in the first place? Hell, why did the Confederacy even exist?