Was it possible to save the Union in 1860? Trace the steps that had been taken to this point and discuss what else might have been done at this point to avoid Civil War.

The correct answer to this open question is the following.

The United States already lived in a difficult situation regarding the possibility of a big division when Abraham Lincoln became the President of the United States in 1860.

Southern governmental leaders convinced themselves that the arrival of Lincoln would make things worse for their economic and political interests. Few things were really available to try to impede secession and not confronting the country. The Dred Scott decision complicated more the differences that existed in the Democratic Party.

President Lincoln was very clear in his political decisions and the southern states' leaders were sure that the best and next step, would be secession.  And those ideas were so ingrained in both sides -North and South- that really nothing else could be done at that time to impede the inevitable.

the articles of confederation only set up the continental congress at the federal level. there were no executive or judicial branches except within the states. the states were allowed to keep every right that was not specifically given to congress. the bonding of the states was through a 'firm league of friendship' that best served as a defense agreement against invasion. states were not allowed to use taxes as a way to discourage treaties, and states were extremely limited in their dealings with foreign nations.

not many historians today talk about the strengths of the articles of confederation, likely because of how unpopular the document quickly became. the articles did set the legislative body, congress, as the highest power in the nation because of the fear of monarchy. congress had the sole power to declare war, assign treaties, entertain foreign relations, and operate post offices. disputes between states and territorial issues were to be brought to congress. the document also stipulated that canada was allowed to enter the union if they desired.

there were more weaknesses than strengths under the articles of confederation. the lack of power given to the continental congress strangled the federal government. the articles gave congress the power to pass laws but no power to enforce those laws. if a state did not support a federal law, that state could simply ignore it. congress had no power to levy taxes or regulate trade. without a federal court system or executive leader, there would be no way to enforce these laws, either. amending the articles of confederation would also require a unanimous decision, which would be extremely difficult.

in 550 b.c.e. cyrus the great, the leader of the persians, conquered the medes and united the iranian people under one ruler for the first time. cyrus became the first king of the persian empire and went on to establish one of the largest empires in world.