On the topic of confederate flags...

The election of Lincoln caused the state of South Carolina to call a state convention which voted unanimously in favor of secession on 20th December, 1860. The “cotton states” of Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas followed suit, seceding in January and February 1861. These states then agreed to form their own Federal Government calling it the Confederate States of America, on February 4, 1861. After the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April, Lincoln called on all the states to send forces to recapture federal properties. Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee ,unwilling to send forces against their neighbors, voted to secede and joined the Confederates. In his inaugural address on March 4, 1861 Lincoln called any secession “legally void”. He had no intent to invade southern states nor did he intend to end slavery where it existed. However, he said that he would use force to maintain possession of Federal property. The battle lines were clearly drawn. It all started from the southern states wanting secession from the union over taxation on cotton sold to the UK, then slavery was introduced into it.