Antebellum America, 1787-1861: A Sourcebook on States' Rights, Limited Government, Slavery, Political Violence and the Road to Civil War - Paperback

by Thomas J. Ebert (Author), Allen Carden (Author)

A companion to Abraham Lincoln and His Times, this volume is a documentary sourcebook that provides a roadmap to the antebellum era. The primary documents assembled herein describe how slavery became intertwined with the antebellum arguments over the nature of the federal constitution, whether it created a national government or a loose confederation of states. The emphatic opinions on both sides of this debate are highlighted in the documents compiled in this book. Also highlighted is the evolution of the pro-slavery argument that the institution of slavery was a social positive and should be preserved. Introductory essays and a biographical appendix provide context for more than 145 documents presented. Many of these documents have not been included in prior collections of antebellum documents, and taken together provide a fresh perspective on this tumultuous era in American history.

Author Biography

Thomas J. Ebert is a retired reference and documents librarian at California State University, Fresno, where he also served as associate vice president for academic personnel. He holds graduate degrees in history and library science. Allen Carden is a professor emeritus of history and former president of Fresno Pacific University. He is the author of a book on the history of emancipation and was coauthor with Thomas J. Ebert of a scholarly biography of Lincoln's private secretary, John George Nicolay.