Living Timeline

The Interwar Years

The Age of Jackson (1820-1840)

End of Isolationism

The Age of Jackson (1820-1840)

A Nation in Crisis

The Age of Jackson (1820-1840)

Growing Pains

The Age of Jackson (1820-1840)

Gilded Expansion

The Age of Jackson (1820-1840)

The Cold War

Modern America

Rise of Power

The Age of Jackson (1820-1840)

The Age of Jackson (1820-1840)

The Age of Jackson (1820-1840)

Isaiah Sturgeon

Living Timeline

The Civil War fundamentally transformed the role of the government and the Constitution. It expanded federal authority, redefined the relationship between the federal government and the states, and led to significant constitutional amendments that addressed issues of slavery and civil rights.

Summary

1. Federal Authority2. Presedantial Power 3. War Powers 4. Amdenments 5. Federalism 6. Military Authority

During the American Civil War, the role of the government and the Constitution evolved significantly as the nation grappled with the immense challenges of the conflict.

A Nation In Crisis

Militray Authority

The president is appointed commander-in-chief of the armed forces by the Constitution. This power was heavily used by the president to oversee military operations and strategy during the Civil War. Furthermore, Congress was crucial in approving military operations and supplying money for the war effort.

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Federalism

The division of power between the federal government and the states was altered during the Civil War. States enjoyed a great deal of autonomy in some areas before the conflict. Nonetheless, the Union's triumph established the rule that states could not leave the Union on their own and reaffirmed the sovereignty of the federal government.

Federal Authority

The Civil War was largely fought over the issue of states' rights versus federal authority, particularly regarding the institution of slavery. In order to defend their right to enact their own laws, especially those pertaining to slavery, the Confederate States declared their secession from the Union. The Union government, led by President Abraham Lincoln, asserted federal authority and the preservation of the Union as paramount, ultimately leading to the war.

Amdenments

There have been major constitutional amendments since the Civil War. The most famous of these are the Thirteenth and Fouteenth Amendments, which gave citizenship and equal legal protection to all people born or naturalized in the United States and, respectively, ended slavery. Both the rights of individuals and the relationship between the federal government and the states were significantly changed by these revisions.

Presendatial Authority

The executive branch's authority was increased by President Lincoln's activities throughout the conflict. In an effort to keep the Union intact, he suspended the habeas corpus, detained political opponents, and took other drastic actions. These actions were controversial and challenged constitutional norms, but Lincoln justified them as necessary for the preservation of the nation.

War Powers

The federal government is given specific authority under the Constitution to act in times of war. The government made considerable use of these authorities during the Civil War, enforcing martial law in some places, drafting soldiers, and controlling business and industry to aid in the war effort.