A Disease in the Public Mind : A New Understanding of Why We Fought the Civil War

By the time John Brown hung from the gallows for his crimes at Harper’s Ferry, Northern abolitionists had made him a 'holy martyr' in their campaign against Southern slave owners. This Northern hatred for Southerners long predated their objections to slavery. They were convinced that New England, whose spokesmen had begun the American Revolution, should have been the leader of the new nation. Instead, they had been displaced by Southern 'slavocrats' like Thomas Jefferson. This malevolent envy exacerbated the South’s greatest fear: a race war. Jefferson’s cry, 'We are truly to be pitied,' summed up their dread. For decades, extremists in both regions flung insults and threats, creating intractable enmities. By 1861, only a civil war that would kill a million men could save the Union. Prologue: John Brown's raid Slavery comes to America Slavery's great foe and unintended friend The first Emancipation Proclamation One head turning into thirteen The forgotten emancipator Thomas Jefferson's nightmare New England preaches and almost practices secession How not to abolish slavery New England rediscovers the sacred Union Another Thomas Jefferson urges Virginia to abolish slavery The abolitionist who lost his faith Abolitionism divides and conquers itself Enter Old Man Eloquent The slave patrols The trouble with Texas Slave power paranoia From Uncle Tom to John Brown The real Uncle Tom and the unknown South he helped create Free soil for free (white) men The whole world is watching An ex-president tries to save the Union The anguish of Robert E. Lee The end of illusions The third Emancipation Proclamation Hunt after the captain Epilogue: Lincoln's visitor. Why was the United States the only nation in the world to fight a war to end slavery? Fleming looks at the reasons of why the Civil War was fought, and shows that the polarization that divided the North and South and led to the Civil War began decades earlier than most historians are willing to admit-- back almost to the founding of the nation itself. A distinguished historian and popular author explores why the United States became the only nation in the world to fight