Article VII Of The Constitution example essay topic

The Constitution is the foundation of our United States government; it stands for any kind of bondage between the states and promotes a compact to join together. How can the Southern territory even ask to be justified in breaking such a strong bond, to be justified in ripping a nation in two and destroying the "law of the land" in which America is based solely on? Using the Constitution as legal evidence provides the clearest way to prove the South unjustified in their irrational decision to secede from the Union. The South was also clearly not prepared to make it on their own, as their own nation, with their one crop economy and their sad economic stability. The South sustained valid arguments as to why they seceded but none that solely justified their decision. Their arguments included voluntarily joining the union, the north going against the Declaration of Independence, and the questioning of judicial review.

However the South was not validated in their treasonous acts, such as firing upon Fort Sumter and the formation of a new government, and unlawful childishness as they were breaking various articles of the Constitution. Now, some Southern secessionists may argue that the states voluntarily joined together to make the United States therefore, they would be justified in voluntarily leaving the United States. But on the contrary, the Southern states did come voluntarily but they also voluntarily signed under Article VII of the constitution, reading "the ratification of the states shall be sufficient for the establishment of this constitution", bonding them to the United States. The Southern secessionists may also argue with the topic of the Declaration of Independence. The argument consists of the statement "Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government". However, it was clear that the South made no attempt to alter it and turned right to abolishing it.

Secession could be justified as legal under this statement but there is a flaw to this argument. The federal government could have been altered or changed through the Supreme Court if the South was truly unhappy with some of the laws, but they turned to treason instead. The South was also upset at the fact that they saw the constitution favoring the North and laws being passed were beneficial to the North. However, the concept of judicial review strengthens the fact that the Constitution is the base of America's government and the United States cannot pass any one law that goes against what the Constitution says. The Southern states signed under the Constitution knowing all the facts inside of it so they cannot base secession solely on their opinion of the Constitution favoring one part of the nation.