Disunion! : the coming of the American Civil War, 1789-1859 / Elizabeth R. Varon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Varon, Elizabeth R., 1963-

Series:

Littlefield history of the Civil War era.

The Littlefield history of the Civil War era

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sectionalism (United States)--History.

Sectionalism (United States).

Sectionalism (United States)--History--Sources.

Slavery--Political aspects--United States--History.

Slavery.

Antislavery movements--United States--History.

Antislavery movements.

Rhetoric--Political aspects--United States--History.

Rhetoric.

United States--Politics and government--1783-1865.

United States.

United States--Politics and government--1783-1865--Sources.

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Causes.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (470 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press, c2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In the decades of the early republic, Americans debating the fate of slavery often invoked the specter of disunion to frighten their opponents. As Elizabeth Varon shows, ""disunion"" connoted the dissolution of the republic--the failure of the founders' effort to establish a stable and lasting representative government. For many Americans in both the North and the South, disunion was a nightmare, a cataclysm that would plunge the nation into the kind of fear and misery that seemed to pervade the rest of the world. For many others, however, disunion was seen as the main instrument by which they

Contents:

The language of terrifying prophecy : disunion debates in the early republic

We claim our rights : the advent of abolitionism

Ruinous tendencies : the anti-abolition backlash

The idea will become familiar : disunion in the era of mass party politics

Oh for a man who is a man : debating slavery's expansion

That is revolution! : the crisis of 1850

Beneath the iron heel : fugitive slaves and bleeding Kansas

To consummate its boldest designs : the slave power confronts the republicans

War to the knife : images of the coming fight

Epilogue: The Rubicon is passed : the war and beyond.

Notes:

"A Caravan book"--T.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 401-429) and index.

ISBN:

979-88-908702-6-1

979-88-9313-104-8

0-8078-6607-5

1-4696-0620-8

0-8078-8718-8

OCLC:

405097257