Fucking Christ. That’s not what I’m arguing. What I’m saying is that this particular poster does not tell the whole story as the comment I responded to alludes. Literacy wasn’t anything remotely commonplace among poor southerners. The Articles of Confederacy speak to the desires of the wealthy, not necessarily your common man. We know that many still fought the war without being slaveowners

I just think it’s important to keep context in mind. These were real human, complex beings and to try to consolidate it into a few specific reasons doesn’t do justice to the conflict. I think it’s more important to try to preserve that kind of thing as we are further and further removed