What are the causes of disunion? Consider both long term and short term (proximate) causes. Could disunion have been prevented or was it inevitable?

Hint: you should consider issues from American independence, through our failed first government under the Articles of Confederation through secession and think about social, economic and political causes like the arguments/compromises over territorial expansion.

This a broad topic which is meant to assess your understanding of the course material and your ability to bring together information in a well-substantiated and coherent analytical essay explaining patterns of events and developments in American history (in other words, it is an exercise in critical thinking). We are not able to use any citations/references and it has to be 2-3 pages.