Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this episode of Primary Source Essentials, explore Mississippi’s 1861 Declaration of Secession, a primary source that openly identifies slavery as the central reason for the state’s break from the Union. Mississippi argued that its “position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery” and claimed that Northern efforts to halt slavery’s expansion, resist the Fugitive Slave Act, and support abolitionist movements left the state with a choice between “submission to abolition and ruin” or secession.
The declaration insisted that the Union was a compact among states that Mississippi could dissolve, a view strongly opposed by Abraham Lincoln and many in the North, who maintained that the Union was perpetual and rooted in the sovereignty of the people. As Mississippi and other Southern states withdrew to “secure slavery and maintain our rights,” the nation moved toward a civil war fought to preserve slavery, yet one that ultimately destroyed the institution through the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment.
Have you ever wanted to quickly grasp the most important aspects of Primary Sources? BRI's new 'Primary Source Essentials' series provides swift, 2-3 minute looks at the vital parts of key Primary Sources from American history! ‘Primary Source Essentials ’are the perfect introduction to large, daunting documents and sources and can easily be supplemented by BRI’s various 'Close Read' and 'Homework Help' videos.
To learn more about the cause of secession leading to the Civil War, check out BRI's lesson here: billofrightsinstitute.org/lessons/secession-and-the-start-of-the-civil-war-lesson-plan
To learn more about South Carolina's secession debates of 1860, check out BRI's activity here: billofrightsinstitute.org/activities/south-carolina-secession-debate-1860
00:00 – 00:18 Causes of Secession and Early Divisions Over Slavery
00:18 – 00:41 Slavery’s Expansion and the 1860 Election Crisis
00:41 – 01:21 Southern Claims to Secede and Lincoln’s Response
01:21 – 02:38 Mississippi’s Declaration of Secession and Defense of Slavery
02:38 – 03:30 Civil War Begins, Emancipation, and the Conflict’s Legacy
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About the Bill of Rights Institute:
Established in September 1999, the Bill of Rights Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization that works to engage, educate, and empower individuals with a passion for the freedom and opportunity that exist in a free society. The Institute develops educational resources and programs for a network of more than 50,000 educators and 70,000 students nationwide.
Official Site: billofrightsinstitute.org
Facebook: / billofrightsinstitute
Twitter: / brinstitute
Instagram: / brinstitute
BRI Educator Newsletter Sign Up Page: https://billofrightsinstitute.org/new...
In this episode of Primary Source Essentials, explore Mississippi’s 1861 Declaration of Secession, a primary source that openly identifies slavery as the central reason for the state’s break from the Union. Mississippi argued that its “position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery” and claimed that Northern efforts to halt slavery’s expansion, resist the Fugitive Slave Act, and support abolitionist movements left the state with a choice between “submission to abolition and ruin” or secession.
The declaration insisted that the Union was a compact among states that Mississippi could dissolve, a view strongly opposed by Abraham Lincoln and many in the North, who maintained that the Union was perpetual and rooted in the sovereignty of the people. As Mississippi and other Southern states withdrew to “secure slavery and maintain our rights,” the nation moved toward a civil war fought to preserve slavery, yet one that ultimately destroyed the institution through the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment.
Have you ever wanted to quickly grasp the most important aspects of Primary Sources? BRI's new 'Primary Source Essentials' series provides swift, 2-3 minute looks at the vital parts of key Primary Sources from American history! ‘Primary Source Essentials ’are the perfect introduction to large, daunting documents and sources and can easily be supplemented by BRI’s various 'Close Read' and 'Homework Help' videos.
To learn more about the cause of secession leading to the Civil War, check out BRI's lesson here: billofrightsinstitute.org/lessons/secession-and-the-start-of-the-civil-war-lesson-plan
To learn more about South Carolina's secession debates of 1860, check out BRI's activity here: billofrightsinstitute.org/activities/south-carolina-secession-debate-1860
00:00 – 00:18 Causes of Secession and Early Divisions Over Slavery
00:18 – 00:41 Slavery’s Expansion and the 1860 Election Crisis
00:41 – 01:21 Southern Claims to Secede and Lincoln’s Response
01:21 – 02:38 Mississippi’s Declaration of Secession and Defense of Slavery
02:38 – 03:30 Civil War Begins, Emancipation, and the Conflict’s Legacy
----
About the Bill of Rights Institute:
Established in September 1999, the Bill of Rights Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization that works to engage, educate, and empower individuals with a passion for the freedom and opportunity that exist in a free society. The Institute develops educational resources and programs for a network of more than 50,000 educators and 70,000 students nationwide.
Official Site: billofrightsinstitute.org
Facebook: / billofrightsinstitute
Twitter: / brinstitute
Instagram: / brinstitute
BRI Educator Newsletter Sign Up Page: https://billofrightsinstitute.org/new...
