What was the relationship between the institution of slavery and the outbreak and course of the Civil War?

The institution of slavery was a central issue that fueled tensions between the Northern and Southern states, ultimately leading to the outbreak of the Civil War. The South's economic dependence on slavery created a deep-rooted conflict with the North, where abolitionist sentiments were growing. Debates over the expansion of slavery into new territories and states intensified sectional divisions, culminating in the secession of Southern states after Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860. The war itself became a struggle not only for the Union's preservation but also for the future of slavery in America, ultimately leading to its abolition with the passage of the 13th Amendment.