One could argue that the differences between the North and the South could not be solved in 1860-1861. This is because the North and South already tried to agree on the issue of slavery and states rights multiple times. The passing of the Missouri Compromise (1820), the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) were all examples of the North and South trying to work out their differences. However, all three of these legislative agreements failed. This shows that there was no chance of avoiding this civil war.
