Final answer:
The Civil War was caused by issues related to slavery, succession of Southern states, and economic disagreements between the industrial North and the agricultural South.
Step-by-step explanation:
The causes of the Civil War include slavery, the secession of Southern states, and economic differences between the North and the South. The institution of slavery is arguably the central cause of the Civil War, with the Southern economy being heavily dependent on slave labor, particularly in the agricultural sector. An example of this is the division over the spread of slavery to new territories and states, which was a contentious issue in the 1850s and 1860s. The secession of Southern states following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, who was seen as a threat to the institution of slavery, escalated tensions to a breaking point, leading to war.
An example of this is the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, which marked the beginning of the conflict. Economically, the North's industrial model conflicted with the South's agrarian society. The different economic systems brought differing political views about tariffs and states' rights, illustrated by the Nullification Crisis of the 1830s where South Carolina attempted to nullify federal tariffs.