You point is well taken but we each approach this from a different point of view.
I think the fact that America abolished slavery in less than 80 years is reason for celebration. The end date of the effort to abolish slavery in America is 1865. However, the beginning of the effort to abolish slavery in America began before the ink was dry on either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. The founders felt that slavery would have to be abolished at some point and they started that effort virtually immediately.
There are other instances where an amendment to the Constitution granted powers to the Federal government once reserved to the states.
The 13th amendment removed the power entrusted to the States to be free or slave. The 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th, Amendment removed the power entrusted to the States to determine who can vote.
I fear that the discovery of reasons for the Civil War may trump the result of the Civil War, which was the abolition of slavery forever.
Right.
When our Founders signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, slavery remained legal in all 13 states.
But even Southerner Thomas Jefferson understood that slavery was wrong and tried to include an anti-slavery indictment of King George in his Declaration.
Vermont first banned slavery in 1777, and by 1800 every Northern state passed laws to phase-out or immediately abolish slavery.
As a result, by 1860's census, only 18 elderly slaves were reported still living in New Jersey.
Additionally, Kansas reported two, Nebraska 15 and Utah 29 slaves.
All other northern and western states reported zero slaves.
But in Border States, Upper South and Deep South, slaves totaled nearly four million in 1860.
MosesKnows: "There are other instances where an amendment to the Constitution granted powers to the Federal government once reserved to the states."
Sure, constitutional powers constitutionally granted, not usurped. So your here point is what?
MosesKnows: "I fear that the discovery of reasons for the Civil War may trump the result of the Civil War, which was the abolition of slavery forever."
Do I understand you correctly? Do you fear that once people understand, Deep South secessionists declared their disunion then provoked started and declared war on the United States, all to protect their "peculiar institution" of slavery, that this might somehow cause slavery to be re-established?
And if slavery is ever re-established, who do you suppose with be our Masters, and which of us their slaves?
;-)