Contrary to popular belief, the American Civil War (1861-1865) was not purely centered around slavery, at least not at first. Yes, most debates can be traced back to slavery, but there is more to the story than simply the question of whether slavery is right or wrong. Issues leading up to the war consisted of equality between regions and the differing economies. At the beginning of the war, the two sides fought over the unity of the Union (the United States). The South felt their values were not respected and constantly overshadowed by the North. Thus, they fought to leave the United States in order to form their own Confederacy where they could live their lives free of Northern influence. On the other hand, the North believed secession was unconstitutional and the South (having not been completely independent territories before) had no right to secede; they fought to keep them within the United States and prevent the severing of the Union. It wasn't until Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation (1863) that the focus of the war shifted to keeping or abolishing slavery. 

This site, and your project, will challenge you to consider the Civil War from a different, more open-minded point of view. Be careful not to judge those of the past and remember they are products of their time - a time and place different from the world today. As historians, you need to try to get into the minds of those from the past in order to better understand their beliefs and decisions. As you most likely know the Northern point of view already, below is a link to an article from a historian who has done extensive research to further understand the Southern perspective. He included what Southern citizens were taught by their church leaders, political leaders, and community leaders, and why so many believed secession was their only option.