Question

Examine the following passage written by a southerner before secession and then use it to answer the question below:

As we sat around the long table today the talk turned to the (secession) convention, so soon to meet in Tallahassee (Florida.) Father said he considered this the most important year in the history of the South. He is for secession and he does not think that war will necessarily (certainty) follow. Brother Junius is a strong Union man, and he thinks we will certainly have war. If the South secedes, the North will fight to keep us. If we do not secede, all property rights will be taken from us and we will be forced to fight to hold our own.
What might be the outcome of this convention, and why?

Answer 1

The outcome of the Florida secession convention was a vote to secede, driven by beliefs in states' rights and property rights. Despite hopes to avoid conflict, the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter led to the start of the American Civil War.

Step-by-step explanation:

The outcome of the convention referred to in the passage, likely the Florida secession convention, would be a vote for secession, as reflected in the broader movement that saw a total of seven states, including South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas, leave the Union shortly after Abraham Lincoln's election as president.

The decision to secede was fueled by a belief in the legal right of states to do so, a commitment to protecting states' rights and property rights (which included the right to own slaves), and the desire to safeguard white supremacy and the institution of slavery.

While some, like Brother Junius, foresaw war as an inevitable outcome of secession, others hoped the formation of the Confederate States of America without conflict was possible. However, the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861 prompted President Abraham Lincoln to call for troops, marking the beginning of the American Civil War.