
This analysis of the American Civil War pieces together a complex sequence of events, at the centre of which was slavery and the issue of its expansion into America's western territories. The author examines the political controversy that severed the bonds of union, and depicts the leading political and military figures of the era, including William Lloyd Garrison, Nat Turner, Dred Scott, John Brown and Abraham Lincoln. The text also describes the innovations of 19th century warfare and the superior resources that enabled the North to emerge victorious. The book is illustrated throughout with rare photographs from the collection of the Chicago Historical Society.
This introduction to the Civil War years emphasizes slavery as the overwhelming cause of the conflict between North and South and relies heavily on period illustrations and artifacts. Photos. (May)
More Reviews and RecommendationsEric Foner is DeWitt Clinton Professor of History at Columbia University, where he earned his B.A. and Ph.D. In his teaching and scholarship, Foner focuses on the Civil War and Reconstruction, slavery, and nineteenth-century America. His Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877, won the Bancroft, Parkman, and Los Angeles Times Book prizes and remains the standard history of the period. In 2006 Foner received the Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching at Columbia University. He has served as president of the Organization of American Historians, the American Historical Association, and the Society of American Historians. He is currently writing a book on Lincoln and slavery.
Olivia Mahoney is Associate Curator of Decorative and Industrial Arts, Chicago Historical Society.