Description
Book SynopsisFew people would have expected bloodshed in Kansas Territory. After all, it had few slaves and showed few signs that slavery would even flourish. But civil war tore this territory apart in the 1850s and 60s. Nicole Etcheson seeks to revise our understanding of this era by focusing on whites' concerns over their political liberties.
Trade ReviewMakes a significant contribution to the historiography of the 1850s.... Will be a necessary starting point from now on for anyone seeking to learn what 'bleeding Kansas' was about and why it mattered. - Journal of American History ""Well written, phenomenally well researched, and a wonderful addition to the scholarship of this important period.... Highly recommended for anyone interested in the crucial role of Kansas in shaping the sectional ideologies that would lead eventually to Civil War."" - North & South ""Etcheson breaks new ground and demonstrates that the violence of Bleeding Kansas forced free soilers to examine their own racial biases. The result was a significant ideological transformation.... Her book skillfully recreates this important egalitarian moment."" - Western Historical Quarterly ""A thoughtful and well-written addition to the scholarship of Kansas and the coming of the Civil War. The book deserves a wide readership."" - Missouri Historical Review ""A lively political history highly recommended for all libraries with collections in U.S. history."" - Choice
