What prompted Southern mountain whites to fight for the Confederacy?

by mr_oranje

Considering that virtually everyone in Southern Appalachia and the Ozarks were white (with little direct contact with slavery) and isolated from the rest of the South, what were their reasons for fighting for the South? I know many of them remained Unionists (esp. in Tennessee), but quite a few joined the rebellion. How come?

Georgy_K_Zhukov

Hi there! More can be said on this but you'll likely find this old answer to be of interest!