Tensions between the North and the South have continued to grow since the anti-slavery movement of 1830. Several compromises between the North and the South concerning slavery had been adopted as that of Nebraska-Kansas and Missouri. act; but that did little to ease the tension. The election of President Lincoln in 1861 proved to be a flashpoint for the South, and secession followed. This ultimately sparked the civil war; which was perceived differently by the North and the South. The North's goal was to keep the Union intact while the South's goal was to secede from the Union. Southern leaders presented compelling arguments to justify secession. Exploring the South Carolina Ordinance of Secession documents and a Georgia Assembly speech will explain how Southern leaders justified secession from the United States. South Carolina's Ordinance of Secession rationalizes secession based on compact law. To begin, a compact is defined as “an agreement between two or more individuals or entities” (“pact”). South Carolina believed that the compact was not being respected by the United States and that South Carolina therefore had the legal right to leave the Union. . Breaking this down further, SC gives a clear understanding of what the law of compact means to them: mutual obligation, failure of an important party releases the obligation, if an arbitrator fails to provide, each party uses his judgment to determine the fact or failure, with all the consequences” (Michael Perman). South Carolina believed that the contract they entered into no longer brought justice, domestic tranquility, promoted the general welfare, or ensured the prosperity of the South as promised in the opening statement of the Constitution. Middle of paper This would not protect the interests of the Southern states. Coupled with the hostilities, the lack of votes for Lincoln in the South and disregard for the constitutional protection of slavery were a justifiable reason for Southern leaders to secede from the Union. In conclusion, Southern leaders were able to use the Constitution and Declaration as justification for secession from the Union. Southern leaders claimed that the North had broken the law of the compact, was hostile to the South, and that the Southern states lacked the protection and equality provided in the Constitution. Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. Ed. Frank C. Mish. Flight. Eleven. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2007. Perman Michael, Amy Murrell Taylor. Major Issues of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2011.