Question

How did the Confederacy view the Union and their membership in it?

Answer 1

Answer:

It was an alliance of states. These states had joined for a common purpose at an earlier time, and now the time had come to go their separate ways.

Explanation:

This is the most accurate description of the way the Confederacy thought about the Union and their membership in it. The United States was formed by the union of several different states. From its union, the states had been interested in maintaining some level of autonomy and independence. The Confederacy believed that, although this union had been benefitial in the past, it no longer was, and they needed to go their separate ways. The states had little feeling of connection or commitment to the Union, as they still thought of themselves as individual states united for a particular purpose.

Answer 2

The Confederacy knew they held all of the cards because they were the money makers for the Union. They were resentful that the North (Union) would try to dissolve their labor practices (slavery) because that would cut into the plantation owners money. The Confederates also didn't feel the Union was contributing anything to the states. If anything, they were actually a drain on the economy.

Ultimately, the South (Confederacy) decided to withdraw from the Union because they knew that they would prosper on their own without the North. They knew the North would collapse without the South as part of the states.