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This is my first post! Being an American, I have always had an interest in the Civil War. I am thinking about a POD where the Framers decide to have an article in the Constitution about how a state could legally withdraw from the Union. Perhaps have an ardent anti-Federalist like Patrick Henry or someone of his ilk promise to only support the Constitution if it contained such a provision. If any of you have an idea of who could have conceivably done this, please let me know. The 10th Amendment (now all but ignored nowadays, unfortunately) seems to be in the spirit of allowing for broad state sovereignty, which may implicitly indicate that they have the right of succession though I'm by no means certain about that.

If such a provision were in the Constitution, what would it most likely stipulate? Given that Jefferson said in the Declaration of Independence that separation should not occur for "light and transient" causes, there should be a tough requirement for succession. I am thinking a 3/4th majority vote in the Legislature and a governor's signature. Maybe even a statewide plebiscite though I don't think they thought about direct democracy much back then, and when they did they remembered Athens which was a ultimately a failed experiment.

The next question of course is how such a provision would change subsequent history. This brings us back to the Civil War. If I had to venture a guess I think such a "War between the States" might have happened anyway though it would be harder for what's left of the United States to prosecute in the beginning. I mean if South Carolina, N.C., etc. went through the legal channels prescribed in the Constitution, it would be tough for Lincoln to start a war though not impossible.

Or would the South have seceded sooner than the election of Lincoln in 1860? What do you guys think? I'd like to contruct a story with a TL for this scenario but want to work out the possibilities first before I commit to anything. :)

Edit: The title should read "secession" not "succession," the U.S. does not have a king, lol.
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