Another main idea of this text is that this decision (deciding between the Union and the South) was not an easy or straightforward one. Although we tend to think of the Union and the South as two clearly separate entities, the distinction was not as clear before the war. Many states had only recently joined the Union. Therefore, their allegiance to it was not particularly strong, which led them to have a stronger connection with their state than with their nation. Moreover, the South was defined by lifestyle (reliance on agriculture, particularly slave plantations), and the lines were blurry. This shows that many people struggled to pick a side during the war.