The Civil War, my thoughts

The Civil War was an extremely interesting conflict. The south left due to their desire to hold on to their ways of life and their economic wealth, but at what cost? The south believed in themselves to be able to make a nation of their own device, but the north stomped it out. Also, why did Lincoln want to start a war, anyway? He intentionally provoked the south at Fort Sumter, but why? Why did the south need to stay in the Union, exactly? Not that I'm a Confederate sympathizer, but the motives behind the President still confound me. Was it to keep their economic superiority? Was it manifest destiny? Maybe I'll never know, but it would be interesting to pry into Lincoln's brain and figure out... why.