[Bull Snipe]

The South lacked the finances, manpower, equipment, and industrial capacity to overpower the United States, let alone try and conquer South America or a part of it. The may have had a shot at some of the islands in the Caribbean.

[Skywise]

I agree they did. But had they been able to expand they could’ve grown into a strong nation and the union would be sandwiched between them and Canada with no growth potential.

[DiogenesLamp]

The South lacked the finances, manpower, equipment, and industrial capacity to overpower the United States, let alone try and conquer South America or a part of it.

That would have changed in less than a decade had they succeeded in maintaining independence. I think the border states would have eventually joined them. And then the territories. Eventually the CSA would be bigger and more powerful than the USA.

I think Lincoln and Northern businessmen could see this coming. I have said in the past, were I in Lincoln's shoes, I would have likely done the same thing. The South was an immediate economic threat, and over time would likely become a territorial threat.