The entire war at the time was over economics. Florida was an agricultural and shipping center, and The north was more of a manufacturing base. Also, the power politically was in the north, as well as a LOT more money. Those robber barons of the railroad and steel industries lobbied congress for tariffs and such that made it virtually impossible for Florida to export it's agricultural products to Europe where they could get a better price, therefore forcing them to ship the goods to the north, where the buyers controlled the price and lowered demand. This was the case with ALL if the Confederacy. Anyone who says different is just focusing on the slavery issues, which the Confederate States of America Congress had already voted to abolish. It wasn't over slavery as history would indicate, but over simple economics. Those in the north that had it, tried, and pretty much succeeded in keeping those in the south from obtaining it. (It being wealth and power). And the southern states tired of it, and formed their own sovereign state and seceded from the union. Which is why it was not a Civil War, because a civil war is an uprising against the government. We never rose up militarily against the union. We seceded from the union. They actually committed the first act of war by blockading southern ports with naval ships. The south fired the first shot, but it was justified, because US Naval ships were denying access from the open seas as well as ships needing to leave port to deliver goods. The Confederate states were formally recognized by all other major governments at the time in Europe and Central and South America, and joined by another sovereign nation, The Republic of Texas, which at the time was a separate nation, not a state or territory. In other words, Florida did what they thought was best for their economic standing in the world community. And they stood up against oppression from those in power who would have them bend at their will.