The Road to Disunion : Secessionists at Bay, 1776-1854: Volume I

Far from a monolithic block of diehard slave states, the South in the eight decades before the Civil War was, in William Freehling's words, "a world so lushly various as to be a storyteller's dream." It was a world where Deep South cotton planters clashed with South Carolina rice growers, where the egalitarian spirit sweeping the North seeped down through border states already uncertain about slavery, where even sections of the same state (for instance, coastal and mountain Virginia) divided bitterly on key issues. It was the world of Jefferson Davis, John C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson, and Thomas Jefferson, and also of Gullah Jack, Nat Turner, and Frederick Douglass. Now, in the first volume of his long awaited, monumental study of the South's road to disunion, historian William Freehling offers a sweeping political and social history of the antebellum South from 1776 to 1854. All the dramatic events leading to secession are here: the Missouri Compromise, the Nullification Controversy, the Gag Rule ("the Pearl Harbor of the slavery controversy"), the Annexation of Texas, the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Freehling vividly recounts each crisis, illuminating complex issues and sketching colorful portraits of major figures. Along the way, he reveals the surprising extent to which slavery influenced national politics before 1850, and he provides important reinterpretations of American republicanism, Jeffersonian states' rights, Jacksonian democracy, and the causes of the American Civil War. But for all Freehling's brilliant insight into American antebellum politics, **Secessionists at Bay** is at bottom the saga of the rich social tapestry of the pre-war South. He takes us to old Charleston, Natchez, and Nashville, to the big house of a typical plantation, and we feel anew the tensions between the slaveowner and his family, the poor whites and the planters, the established South and the newer South, and especially between the slave and his master, "Cuffee" and "Massa." Freehling brings the Old South back to life in all its color, cruelty, and diversity. It is a memorable portrait, certain to be a key analysis of this crucial era in American history. The first volume of William Freehling's monumental study of the antebellum South and the road to Civil War offers a memorable portrait of the Old South in all its color, cruelty, and diversity. All the dramatic events leading up to secession are here: the Missouri Compromise, the Gag Rule, the Kansas-Nebraska Act and more. Far from a monolithic block of diehard slave states, the South in the eight decades before the Civil War was, in William Freehling's words, "a world so lushly various as to be a storyteller's dream." It was a world where Deep South cotton planters clashed with South Carolina rice growers, where the egalitarian spirit sweeping the North seeped down through border states already uncertain about slavery, where even sections of the same state (for instance, coastal and mountain Virginia) divided bitterly on key issues. It was the world of Jefferson Davis, John C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson, and Thomas Jefferson, and also of Gullah Jack, Nat Turner, and Frederick Douglass. Now, in the first volume of his long awaited, monumental study of the South's road to disunion, historian William Freehling offers a sweeping political and social history of the antebellum South from 1776 to 1854. All the dramatic events leading to secession are here: the Missouri Compromise, the Nullification Controversy, the Gag Rule ("the Pearl Harbor of the slavery controversy"), the Annexation of Texas, the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Freehling vividly recounts each crisis, illuminating complex issues and sketching colorful portraits of major figures. Along the way, he reveals the surprising extent to which slavery influenced national politics before 1850, and he provides important reinterpretations of American republicanism, Jeffersonian states' rights, Jacksonian democracy, and the causes of the American Civil War

far From A Monolithic Block Of Diehard Slave States, The Antebellum South Was, In William Freehling's Words, A World So Lushly Various As To Be A Storyteller's Dream. It Was A World Where Deep South Cotton Planters Clashed With South Carolina Rice Growers, As Northern Egalitarianism Infiltrated Border States Already Bitterly Divided On Key Issues. It Was The World Of Jefferson Davis, John C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson, And Thomas Jefferson, And Also Of Gullah Jack, Nat Turner, And Frederick Douglass.
Now, In The First Volume Of His Long Awaited, Monumental Study Of The South's Road To Disunion, Historian William Freehling Offers A Sweeping Political And Social History Of The Antebellum South From 1776 To 1854. All The Dramatic Events Leading To Secession Are Here: The Missouri Compromise, The Nullification Controversy, The Gag Rule, The Annexation Of Texas, The Compromise Of 1850, And The Kansas-nebraska Act. Vivid Accounts Of Each Crisis Reveal The Surprising Extent To Which Slavery Influenced National Politics Before 1850 And Provide Important Reinterpretations Of American Republicanism, Jeffersonian States' Rights, Jacksonian Democracy, And The Causes Of The American Civil War.
Freehling's Brilliant Historical Insights Illustrate A Work Of Rich Social Observation. In The Cities Of The Antebellum South, In The Big House Of A Typical Plantation, We Feel Anew The Tensions Between The Slaveowner And His Family, Poor Whites And Planters, The Old And New Souths, And Most Powerfully Between Slave And Master. Freehling Has Evoked The Old South In All Its Color, Cruelty, And Diversity. It Is A Memorable Portrait, Certain To Be A Key Analysis Of This Crucial Era In American History.

Annotation Far from a monolithic block of diehard slave states, the antebellum South was, in William Freehling's words, "a world so lushly various as to be a storyteller's dream." It was a world where Deep South cotton planters clashed with South Carolina rice growers, as Northern egalitarianism infiltrated border states already bitterly divided on key issues. It was the world of Jefferson Davis, John C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson, and Thomas Jefferson, and also of Gullah Jack, Nat Turner, and Frederick Douglass.Now, in the first volume of his long awaited, monumental study of the South's road to disunion, historian William Freehling offers a sweeping political and social history of the antebellum South from 1776 to 1854. All the dramatic events leading to secession are here: the Missouri Compromise, the Nullification Controversy, the Gag Rule, the Annexation of Texas, the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Vivid accounts of each crisis reveal the surprising extent to which slavery influenced national politics before 1850 and provide important reinterpretations of American republicanism, Jeffersonian states' rights, Jacksonian democracy, and the causes of the American Civil War.Freehling's brilliant historical insights illustrate a work of rich social observation. In the cities of the Antebellum South, in the big house of a typical plantation, we feel anew the tensions between the slaveowner and his family, poor whites and planters, the Old and New Souths, and most powerfully between slave and master. Freehling has evoked the Old South in all its color, cruelty, and diversity. It is a memorable portrait, certain to be a key analysis of this crucial era in American history William Freehling offers a sweeping political and social history of the antebellum South from 1776 to 1861. All the dramatic events leading to secession are here, and Freehling vividly recounts each crisis, illuminating the many complex issues and sketching colorful portraits of the major figures involved. It is "indisputable," he writes, that slavery was the war's main cause, and some kind of clash was probably inevitable. The movements in the 1850s to acquire new slave territories for the United States, reopen the African slave trade and re-enslave free blacks also revealed Southern disunity. Freehling offers fascinating accounts of each. But his main point is that because of opposition within the South, all failed Vol. 1 Is A Sweeping Political And Social History Of The Antebellum South From 1776 To 1854. V. 1. Secessionists At Bay, 1776-1854 -- V. 2. Secessionists Triumphant, 1854-1861. William W. Freehling. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. First impressions of the South in the mid-1850s were sharpest on a summer day in the most tropical South's most enslaved, so-called black-belt regions.