He took it for granted that the original intent of the framers was relevant in determining the meaning of the Constitution. ... In discussing the problem of habeas corpus suspension, as we have seen, Lincoln referred to the "letter & spirit" of the constitutional clause authorizing irregular arrests under certain conditions. Even though it would be difficult to establish an agreed upon meaning for the "spirit of the Constitution, Lincoln was probably correct in using the term to refer generally to the purposes and intentions of the framers as expressed in the Constitution itself (Burgess,99). ...

• Word Count: 1438
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

"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". ... If the issues of secession and slavery were discussed in the Constitution, then many of the problems that the United States ran into regarding these issues could have been solved without having the Union fail. ...

• Word Count: 817
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

The war, which was aimed at confronting the national problem of slavery, only led to subsequent dilemmas over emancipation and an undefined condition of freedom. Some had naively believed that ending slavery would solve the problem of racial inequality, overlooking the prejudice and uninviting atmosphere towards blacks. ... Radicals of the Republican Party sought to frame a new amendment that could provide greater security than that given under the jurisdiction of the Thirteenth Amendment. ...

• Word Count: 1277
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Historical Incidents That Triggered the Gilded Age Immediately after the civil war, forces on both sides of the battlefield breathed a sigh of relief as the worst conflict man had ever conceived mercilessly concluded. Many failed to realize that more uncertainty and change was on the verge of...

• Word Count: 1687
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate