Final answer:
Slavery was a central issue leading to the Civil War, but economic disparities, cultural differences, and political tensions also played critical roles. The Kansas-Nebraska Act and the election of Abraham Lincoln were significant events that contributed to the eventual conflict.
Step-by-step explanation:
The extent to which disagreement over slavery was responsible for causing the Civil War is a significant aspect of historical debate. While slavery was undoubtedly a central issue leading to the Civil War, other contributing factors included economic disparities, political tensions, cultural differences, and questions of national power and states' rights. The economic structure of the South was deeply intertwined with slavery, which was critical for their agriculture-based economy, contrasted with the industrial North which did not rely on slave labor. The North viewed the expansion of slavery as a threat to the concept of free labor and equality, while the South saw the abolitionist movement as a direct attack on their way of life and economic survival.
Various events heightened tensions further, such as the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which opened new territories to the possibility of slavery based on popular sovereignty, thus undermining the Missouri Compromise. Northerners and southerners increasingly found themselves at odds over such issues, with many like William H. Seward espousing the idea of an 'irrepressible conflict' over slavery. Furthermore, the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 was a symbolically significant event that suggested a shift in political power and signaled to the South that their institution of slavery might no longer be protected.
In summary, while the foundational cause of the Civil War can be tied to slavery, it is important to recognize the broader context of economic, political, and social factors that collectively led to the outbreak of the conflict.