Yes — the idea is correct, but it needs cleaner wording. A better version would be:

Many Southern states felt a closer connection to their region than to the nation.

Why this matters

Sectionalism helped push the country toward the Civil War because people in different regions increasingly saw their own interests as more important than the Union as a whole. In the South, that regional loyalty was tied to slavery, states’ rights, and a different economic system, which deepened conflict with the North.

Polished answer

If you are answering the question “How did sectionalism contribute to the Civil War?” , you could say:

Sectionalism contributed to the Civil War by making many people in the North and South more loyal to their region than to the United States as a whole. Many Southern states felt a stronger connection to their own region, especially because of slavery and states’ rights, which increased tensions and eventually led to war.

Small correction

Your original sentence has a few spelling errors:

  • sotuehrn → Southern
  • elt → felt
  • than → than
  • thatn → than

If you want, I can also turn this into a 1-sentence answer , a short paragraph , or a full classroom response.