Essay --

In the early 1800’s the United States began to split, but as mid-century came around, the union started to separate drastically. During the period of 1850, until 1861 the union was clearly divided between the north and the sounth. Although the Constitution was not the only factor leading to sectional tension in America, there are many strong points in the North and South favoring the statement, â€Å"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.† When the Constitution was framed in 1787, the founding fathers were concerned about leaving Britain and becoming a Union, as opposed to the issue of slavery that would later prevail. Henry Clay created the Compromise of 1850, which helped solve the problem of slavery in the new territories (Document A). This was not included in the Constitution. When the Missouri Compromise was ruled unconstitutional under the Dred Scott decision. It is evident that although the Constitution is t...