Question

How did Americans disagree over the role of the federal and state governments before and during the civil war

Answer 1

 With Lincoln becoming president and representing the North, the Southern states seceded, leading to a war. The state governments of the South argued that since the Constitution and federal government was created by the states, the federal government had no right to stop states from seceding. President Lincoln and other northerners disagreed and wanted to preserve the Union by stopping states from seceding.