Sorry for not see your reply earlier.

In My Opinion the real reason that the southern states fought the War of Northern Agression was to preserve the Principals of the UNITED STATES Constitution as it was written by the founding fathers. The concept of the States being responcible for their own destiny was destroyed with the defeat of the the southern states. Before the war the individual States were the primary form of government that regulated the people. The Federal Government was the servant, and protecter from outside threats, of the States. After the War the Federal Government assumed powers to dictate and enforce policy to, and against, the individual States. That was a Power that they did not generally have before the War.

So Yes I was suggesting the the Southern States were fighting for their freedom. The Freedom that was given them under the Compact that bound them to the together in the first place.