Why did the south feel justified in secede?

The South felt justified in seceding primarily due to a belief in states' rights and the preservation of their way of life, which was heavily dependent on slavery. They perceived the federal government's increasing power and anti-slavery sentiments, especially after Abraham Lincoln's election, as threats to their economic interests and social order. Many Southern leaders argued that they had the right to withdraw from the Union as a sovereign state, viewing secession as a legitimate response to what they saw as tyranny. Additionally, cultural and political differences between the North and South further fueled their desire for independence.