Final answer:
The quote discusses the North and South's differing attitudes towards war leading up to the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
The quote is referring to the tensions between the North and the South leading up to the American Civil War. Both parties were opposed to war but had different approaches to dealing with the issue. The sentence that best states the meaning is option A: Both parties tried to avoid war; yet, the South chose war rather than remain in the Union while the North would accept war to save the nation.
Learn more about Causes of the American Civil War