EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! TALK OF STATES LEAVING THE UNION! As the nation nears the brink of war and tensions heat up over issues such as slavery, South Carolina is leading a charge for states in the South to secede from the Union. This is the first major test for the still infant United States and the young Constitution that replaced the Articles of Confederation just before the turn of the century in the late 1780's. "If the south thinks they can leave the Union without consequences they have another thing coming," says Thomas Roadblocker, a wealthy abolitionist from Massachusetts. William Pennington III said leaving the Union would be "an act of treason, an act of war" and would not be tolerated. "Why should we stick with a Union that does not want to protect our way of life in the South? It's what we founded this nation on," Charles Cottonswab told the press when asked why he felt the south needed to take action against the growing tension between the industrial north and agricultural south. Yes, this is a trying time for our nation, and one that I, Page Turner, need to investigate further. But first I must find someone to help me out. Come with me as I journey through time and look ahead to the future as our nation is at a crossroads. Which path will they choose and how will it all end?