The Constitution as a Source of Discord in the Union

By the 1850’s the Constitution, originally framed as an instrument of national unity, had become a source of sectional discord and tension and ultimately contributed to the failure of the union it had created. It is true that the Constitution was seen as a source of conflict. This was felt by both the presidents, the leaders of the time, and common people. One reason why the Constitution brought all of that trouble was because of …

…of the opposing viewpoints, north and south, of how the Constitution should be interpreted. The north favored a loose interpretation, and the south had a more literal interpretation because it literally says matters not in the Constitution are a matter left up to the states, and slavery is not in there. The “failure of the union” that was created is a reference to the Civil War, which was inevitable with things going as they were.