The Civil War began as tensions grew between the Northern and Southern states over the issues of slavery and states' rights. The Northern states wanted to abolish slavery and relied on industry and factories, while the Southern states' economy was dependent on slavery and agriculture. Abolitionist movements grew in the North advocating for ending slavery. When Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860 on a platform to stop the expansion of slavery, several Southern states seceded to form the Confederate States of America, leading to the outbreak of the Civil War between the Union and Confederacy.