---
title: "What Caused the Civil War?"
description: "By a 48%-to-38% margin, more Americans say states’ rights rather than slavery was the main cause of the Civil War."
date: "2011-05-18"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2011/05/18/what-caused-the-civil-war/"
---

# What Caused the Civil War?

Asked their impression of the main cause of the Civil War, a 48%-plurality of Americans say it was mainly about states’ rights. Just 38% say the Civil War was mainly caused by slavery. Another 9% volunteer that it was about both equally. Young people are more likely than older Americans to say that the war’s main cause was states’ rights — 60% of those younger than age 30 express this view, the highest percentage of any age group. Those ages 65 and older, by a 50%-to-34% margin, are the most likely to say that slavery rather than states rights was the main cause of the Civil War. Nearly half of whites (48%) say states’ rights was the war’s main cause, but so do 39% of blacks. [Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/1958/civil-war-still-relevant-and-divisive-praise-confederate-leaders-flag)