I hope this doesn't count as a rule violation but I need help with a specific argument. I am sick of a small group within a hobbyist group I participate in defending the racist views of the Lost Cause movement by claiming that the American Civil War was fought for southern independence due to the cultural and traditional oppression of the south by the north.
I used to be familiar with more sources on this subject, particularly C. Vann Woodward, but it's been so long since I've studied American history that I'm unable to consult sources (I've sold many college textbooks anyway) I don't have and I'm not sure what good texts I might buy. I hate any viewpoint that I know I can prove is factually wrong and I hate to see new life being breathed into a viewpoint that needs to die.
Historiography, including from the last 20 years, is quite welcome. This is so far from being a rule violation that there's a section in the FAQ about it.
This previous answer from the FAQ is long, but it is magnificently sourced. "Was the American Civil War about more than just slavery?" at https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3edss0/was_the_american_civil_war_about_more_than_just/cte2mj9/ by /u/Georgy_K_Zhukov
You can also see the entire section at https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/civilwar#wiki_causes . In the app, the # anchor doesn't work, so you have to look for the section heading, "Causes". Also answers by /u/Borimi , /u/freedmenspatrol , Vallerius, ThinMountainAir, Irishfafnir, and 5 more users in the first discussion in the next section. (That section is titled "Secession" but that first one also touches on causes.)
Quoting previous replies is not intended to discourage discussion. More questions, info, and debate are welcome.
Hey there! Check out the threads linked on our FAQ page on causes of the Civil War. I think you'll find pretty much everything you could ask for there. :)
the American Civil War was fought for southern independence due to the cultural and traditional oppression of the south by the north.
I mean, technically one could posit that this was true, in the sense that the South was really attached to their culture and tradition of having slaves and considered it oppressive that others disapproved.
Lost Causers don't like it much when you point them to things like the various states' Declarations of Secession, which tend to name the preservation and propagation of slavery as the explicit reason they're trying to secede. You may enjoy this article from the Atlantic, which quotes several of those declarations in addition to quite a number of other lovely quotes from various contemporary persons and sources (including some specifically denying that the war was being fought for anything except the preservation and propagation of slavery.) If you'd like the declarations of secession in their full text form, here ya go.
If they try to move the goalposts and make it about "states' rights," you can show them this side-by-side comparison of the US Constitution and the Confederate constitution, which handily demonstrates that the Confederates were reeeally not all that into the idea of individual states' rights, but were very invested in cementing slavery as a cornerstone of their society. Hey, speaking of cornerstones.
I am sick of a small group within a hobbyist group I participate in defending the racist views of the Lost Cause movement by claiming that the American Civil War was fought for southern independence due to the cultural and traditional oppression of the south by the north.
It's hard to give you a general answer to something like this, because the fantasies driving it are so diverse. An argument against a vague claim of oppression is possible -you don't get to claim oppression when you control, or at least are the clear plurality interest in, the federal government for its entire history to 1860- but probably not as effective as one that engages specifics. What sort of things do they cite as oppressive?
On top of the suggested prior answers, you should look into the Declarations of Secession which almost all list the threat to slavery as the cause for their decision to secede.