Which issue was most divisive between Northern and Southern states prior to the Civil War?

The most divisive issue between Northern and Southern states prior to the Civil War was slavery and its expansion. This conflict centered on the differing economies and social structures of the North and South. The Northern states, which were largely industrialized and had abolished slavery, opposed the expansion of slavery into the new territories and states. They believed that slavery was morally wrong and incompatible with American democratic values.

In contrast, the Southern states, which depended on an agricultural economy driven by slave labor, viewed the expansion of slavery as essential for their economic interests and social order. This disagreement intensified political tensions, leading to heated debates over whether new states admitted to the Union should be free or slave states. The issue influenced significant legislation, such as the Missouri Compromise and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War as it highlighted the deep-seated divisions between North and South over fundamental human rights and economic interests.

While taxes and tariffs, education policies, and immigration laws were important issues, they did not evoke the same level of passionate conflict and regional division that slavery did during this critical period in American history.