How did southerners justify sussecion?

Southerners justified secession primarily through the argument of states' rights, asserting that individual states had the sovereign authority to determine their own governance and laws, including the legality of slavery. They believed that the federal government was infringing upon their rights and way of life, especially with the growing abolitionist sentiment in the North. Additionally, many southerners framed their secession as a means of protecting their economic interests and social order, which they felt were threatened by Northern policies. These justifications were deeply intertwined with notions of honor, tradition, and a distinct Southern identity.