Slavery and politics in the early American republic / Matthew Mason.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mason, Matthew, 1968-

Contributor:

John G. Hartman Memorial Library Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Slavery--Political aspects--United States--History--19th century.

Slavery.

Slavery--Political aspects.

United States.

History.

United States--Politics and government--1789-1815.

Politics and government.

United States--Politics and government--1815-1861.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xii, 339 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm

Other Title:

Slavery & politics in the early American republic

Place of Publication:

Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press, [2006]

Summary:

Giving close consideration to previously neglected debates, Matthew Mason challenges the common contention that slavery held little political significance in America until the Missouri Crisis of 1819. Mason demonstrates that slavery and politics were enmeshed in the creation of the nation, and in fact there was never a time between the Revolution and the Civil War in which slavery went uncontested. The American Revolution set in motion the split between slave states and free states, but Mason explains that the divide took on greater importance in the early nineteenth century. He examines the partisan and geopolitical uses of slavery, the conflicts between free states and their slaveholding neighbors, and the political impact of African Americans across the country. Offering a full picture of the politics of slavery in the crucial years of the early republic, Mason demonstrates that partisans and patriots, slave and freeand not just abolitionists and advocates of slaveryshould be considered important players in the politics of slavery in the United States.

Contents:

Slavery and politics to 1808

Federalists, Republicans, and slavery during the War of 1812

Slavery and partisan conflict during the era of good feelings

Slavery in Anglo-American relations

The political impact of African Americans

Defending against slavery

Defending slavery

Commencement exercises : the Missouri crisis

Antebellum legacies.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 305-330) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the John G. Hartman Memorial Library Fund.

ISBN:

0807830496

9780807830499

9780807859230

0807859230

OCLC:

68192308

Publisher Number:

9780807830499

Online:

Book review (H-Net)