In response to:
I won't say you're wrong - it was largely about independence and state's rights. But the focal points that they chose as their reasons for secession were what ultimately doomed their efforts, and slavery was a huge one. The tariffs probably ran a close second, being essentially intranational economic warfare. But what else? What reasons did they truly have to secede? What rights of theirs were truly being violated?
History is not kind to rebels without causes. Heck, I daresay we've more reason *today* to secede than the South had in the 1860's.
But neither of our straits compare to what our founders endured before finally writing the Declaration.
The idea of Texas seceding from the Union is a long time joke, but a secession petition on WhiteHouse.gov has received enough signatures to be seriously reviewed by the White House.
This isn't quite the equivalent of the Declaration of Independence, but in the digital age, you could say it's similar.
Let me rephrase, then:
What rights, EXACTLY, were being repressed that could possibly compare to the justifiable reasons given for the original American Revolution?
The Confederacy was a temper tantrum by reactionary, immature men. Even the few grievances that they truly did have (like the tariffs) were things easily addressed without trying to storm off in a huff.
Do you have any idea how far the Continentals had to be pushed before drafting the Declaration?
Tell me if you think the Confederacy's reasons don't look pathetic by comparison. Then try to back it up.
Well...let's just say that you were a new country that had just struggled with blood and treasure to free yourself from a tyrannical ruler, with that struggle fresh on your mind. You are lured into joining with a union of states, because of it's previous record of states rights. It's main purpose to promote commerce between the states and other countries and defend the smaller states from larger more powerful countries. This sounds good. You join. As soon as you've committed yourself, everything changes. The central government tries a power play to repress the rights of the member states. You might quickly try to secede from that situation and with very good reason.