Final answer:
The South had a chance to succeed in the Civil War due to their defensive strategy, skilled military leaders, vast territory, and populace accustomed to firearms and horsemanship, along with valuable industrial resources and personnel from additional southern states.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Confederate States had a viable chance of succeeding in the Civil War for several reasons. First, they were tasked with a defensive war, which required less manpower and allowed them to take advantage of their deep knowledge of the local terrain and civilian support. Skilled military leaders from the South, many of whom were West Point graduates, led the Confederate Army. Additionally, the geographic expanse of the Confederacy, encompassing over 750,000 square miles, provided a strategic advantage. Moreover, the South benefitted from a population that was already accustomed to the use of firearms and horsemanship, unlike many of the urban recruits from the North. Lastly, the southern states that later joined the Confederacy, such as Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas, brought significant industrial resources and personnel, which were crucial for the South's war efforts.