Answer:
Explanation:
Up until and during the civil war, it wasn't any of those things. The constitution of the United States had one major unfixable problem: it did not deal with the issue of slavery. So for 85 years give or take the states pushed for their own self interests until the war broke out.
The civil war began as a war involving states rights. About the middle somewhere (like 1863) the issue changed to slavery. That has a complex history of its own which I won't go into, but you should be aware of it.
The civil war's end left with amendments 13 14 and 15 which extended voting rights to the colored males, but the conditions were so rigid and tight that few blacks qualified. Conditions during Grant's administration were actually worse for former slaves than before and during the war.
Then there was the question of women's sufferage which did not come about until 1920 or so with the 19th amendment.
But due to Lincoln's foresight the country began to heal. and it was moving towards one nation. Lincoln's attitude was one of forgiveness and tolerance.
The question of the colored was not resolved until the civil rights movement in the 1960s. It took 3 assinastions to get it right.
If you expect a "Rose Garden Answer" you will not get it from me. The struggle to become the land of the free and the home of the brave was long and difficult taking the better part of 2 1/2 centuries and I am not sure it has been achieved yet. The poor are one example. The Latin Americans another. Trump's wall is a third. If I was congress, I'd give him the money to build his wall. At least it would provide jobs. But it would not be useful. It will not be that effective in keeping people out. There are other things equally absurd. You are on your own here because I'm almost certain your teacher wants you to agree with the sentiment. I simply think there is room for improvement.
