The Constitution in the years prior to the Civil War (DBQ from 1987 AP American History Exam)

The Constitution: Unity or Disunity? The U.S. Constitution is looked upon as not only a legal bond, but as a unifying document that exemplifies the American desire for "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." From 1787, the year of its creation, until 1850, the Constitution helped to uphold these ideals, by ruling with the majority, but protecting the minority, as well as acting as a symbol of unity for the growing nation. In the decade …

…make it acceptable to many. However, its vagueness, which has allowed it to mutate and take new form for almost 250 years, has also led to many disputes about its interpretation. The main constitutional concern in the years before the Civil War is whether or not states could invalidate acts of the federal government, an issue which was laid to rest in April, 1865, when the North's victory over the South proved the might of centralized power