I know you did not address this to me, but after reading it, I had to make a comment.
I think that civil war (or war between the states ) was about two opposing societies but it was also about which laws took precedence (Federal or State)... Understanding that this has been resolved...
Part right, part wrong.
From: Francis W. Springer's War for What?
"The Union of Sovereign States, each state deriving its powers from its own people, and the federal government having only those powers granted it by the states, ended when Lincoln was allowed to eviscerate the Constitution. Lincoln did not save the Union, the Union that the delegates founded in 1788. A new Union was created in the 1860s with power over the states, power usurped by deception and maintained by force."
Well one positive thing if the confederacy had won... We would not have to pay federal taxes...
Interesting point he brings...
So what you are basically saying is that the supremacy clause became accepted at gunpoint...
I don't think anyone can argue against that effectively...
And also, back then, didn't each state put out troops as a unit with a federal commander but remained identified by it's home of origin... (54th Massachussett's, Tennessee Volunteers, etc) Was there not a centralization of military command structure resulting from the civil war... I think each governor still remained in command of his state's militia but the federalizing of troops started during and resulted from this conflict (please confirm)