[throwaway85825]

America ended in 1861 when the era of political bargains transitioned to the era of the government and the subjects.

[fuzzfactor]

with 20/20 hindsight it would have been a whole lot better to throw a Constitutional Convention rather than have a civil war.

It had already intentionally been forgotten how well that worked the first time.

[nathan_compton]

Throw a constitutional conventions so that the slave owners could get their votes in (not the slaves, of course, though the owners should get to vote FOR them).

I understand that the civil war was about a lot of things, but the precipitating issue was slavery. Slavers should be obliterated by war if they aren't willing to give up their slaves unconditionally.

[throwaway85825]

But without a war you'd be expected to preserve the republic and then how could you concentrate power for yourself.