Explanation: In the USA, there’s a bizarrely persistent idea, particularly amongst right-wing types, that the US Civil War was fought over some reason other than racism and slavery, particularly the vague call of “States’ Rights”.

In reality, the secessionist Confederacy was quite open and proud about their original reasons for seceding being racism and slavery, and only after their slaver asses were crushed and chattel slavery was abolished did they start to make up post-war justifications to sound less abhorrent.

In middle school I remember having to write an essay about how the civil war was because of political, economic, and social issues. Of which I don’t fully remember the arguments but I vividly remember being taught that and having to write this essay on it. Grew up in Texas for reference.