States that seceded by this date in 1861, and why

State	Date of Secession
South Carolina	December 20, 1860
Mississippi	January 9, 1861
Florida	January 10, 1861
Alabama	January 11, 1861

Contrary to popular belief, these states did not secede on behalf of slavery, rather they were trying to protect the freedom that their ancestors had fought for in the American Revolution, the main factor being unfair taxation.  President Lincoln believed in something called the “American System”, which used taxpayer dollars to fund mass government projects such as canals and railroads (which usually ended in bankruptcy). Most of this money came from the Southern states in the form of import tariffs.

This year marks the sequicentennial of the Civil War, no doubt “Father Abraham” will be viewed as a hero and “savior” of this country but the real legacy of Abraham Lincoln can be found in today’s news headlines, from where else, but the State of Illinois, “The Land of Lincoln” and it reveals the real reason that Southerners chose to secede.

From today’s Bloomberg Business Week:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-12/illinois-lawmakers-pass-67-income-tax-increase.html

“Jan. 12 (Bloomberg) — Illinois lawmakers in the waning hours of their term passed a 67 percent income-tax increase, the largest in the state’s history, to help close a $13 billion budget deficit.

The boost in the tax rate to 5 percent from 3 percent was approved by both chambers. Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat, has supported an increase. A new Legislature will be sworn in today.

The increase, intended to last through 2014, is aimed at fixing Illinois’s worst fiscal crisis, including a backlog of more than $6 billion in unpaid bills and almost $4 billion in missed payments to underfunded state pensions. The deficit amounts to about half of planned general-fund spending for this fiscal year, which ends in June.”

So for the staunchest supporters of Abraham Lincoln and his policies I might suggest moving to “The Land of Lincoln” and experience the legacy in real life, then ask yourself; Do you want to stay and be overly taxed or would you rather leave?