Description
Book Synopsis Lincoln''s significance in the history of slavery and emancipation, the Union''s preservation and the formation of a new national vision is crucial to comprehending the antebellum and Civil War periods in American history. This is a one-of-a-kind hybrid reference work that combines chronology with almost 400 primary source papers to contextualize Lincoln''s life within his historical era.
These written materials serve as the foundation upon which historians can construct a picture of Lincoln''s America. In addition to important chronology and documents, this work includes introductory essays that summarize the topics of each chapter, brief biographies of those referenced in the book, and a source bibliography. Historical records are the heart of this work. Documents illustrate different viewpoints, to provide a full grasp of the time and place, as well as Lincoln''s significance during this era.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- List of Documents ix
- Abbreviations of Sources xvi
- Preface 1
- Chapter
- Introduction • The Formative Years, 1809–1850 7
- Chapter
- Introduction • Sectionalism and Political Ambition, 1851–February 26, 1860 56
- Chapter
- Introduction • The Presidency Won, the Union Shattered, February 27, 1860–April 11, 1861 107
- Chapter
- Introduction • War Begins, April 12–December 31, 1861 159
- Chapter
- Introduction • 1862: The Year That Transformed America 205
- Chapter
- Introduction • 1863: No Turning Back 251
- Chapter
- Introduction • 1864: War Weariness and Uncertainty 295
- Chapter
- Introduction • 1865–1866: Victory and Aftermath, So Many Loose Ends 343
- Appendix: Biographical Sketches 395
- Bibliography 431
- Index 435
