Civil War History - Secession and PoliticsWas it Slavery, or was it States Rights? Perhaps it was the election of Lincoln? What were the real reasons for Southern Secession and what were the political issues in this time of war? Find your answers here in the Secession and Politics Disussion.
For those of you that have spent 1000's of hours, 1000's of dollars in books, and many years studying the Civil War era, what few books or documents would you advise a novice to read to understand the politics of the era. I'm not interested particularly in the battles, or personalities of the generals, or the day-to-day life of the soldier, but would like to gather together a small list of appropriate, truthful literature to understand the politics of the era.
I follow this forum quite regularly and there are SO MANY books, it's hard to focus on the 'important' ones. I've been advised by unionblue about some slavery books, but I'd like to expand this to the politics of the whole era. It's too easy to keep jumping around, and get off track.
So, if you were putting together a 1-year Civil War history course (for the beginner), what texts would you use?
Clara: You're asking an impossible question. But I'd recommend starting with Bruce Catton. He's an easy read and a skim over the top of what we get into. He is a basic and firm foundation. If your wish is to understand what that whole mess was, read Catton.
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
For those of you that have spent 1000's of hours, 1000's of dollars in books, and many years studying the Civil War era, what few books or documents would you advise a novice to read to understand the politics of the era. I'm not interested particularly in the battles, or personalities of the generals, or the day-to-day life of the soldier, but would like to gather together a small list of appropriate, truthful literature to understand the politics of the era.
I follow this forum quite regularly and there are SO MANY books, it's hard to focus on the 'important' ones. I've been advised by unionblue about some slavery books, but I'd like to expand this to the politics of the whole era. It's too easy to keep jumping around, and get off track.
So, if you were putting together a 1-year Civil War history course (for the beginner), what texts would you use?
I find it interesting that OLE says it is impossible, and yet recommends Bruce Catton.
Hudson Strode, who wrote a definitive three volume set on JEFFERSON DAVIS in the late 1950's, and one of whose name-forbears was a ranking officer with Davis at Dixon's Ferry, Illinois, with just about every notable from the Civil War, (including a less-than-savory version of Abraham Lincoln), during the Black Hawk Wars, has this to say about Bruce Catton:
Page XIV, Volume III of JEFFERSON DAVIS -TRAGIC HERO
"For the sake of clarity, I have followed a strict chronology. And because I have portrayed events as largely seen or known by the subject of this biography,
I have presented the Southern viewpoint, as Bruce Catton in his splendid volumes on the Civil War FRANKLY ADMITS
THAT HE WRITES FROM THE UNION POINT OF VIEW".
- Hudson Strode
You are going to have to pick a side. I have Bruce Catton's
GRANT MOVES SOUTH Volume II, from one of my Yankee Transplant friends, (who insisted that I look it over), and
from what I have read, I agree with Hudson Strode, although Catton never gives this admission of his allegiances where I can see it!
I am appalled that Ole sees no THIRD LINE as being even possible! Yet, he may be right.
It is like covering the actual war, itself. You didn't stand out in the center of the field, and look both ways! You were on one side, or the other...
If you ask a Protestant Christian about the Bible, you will get one of at least 285 known replies!
I wish you luck!
Beowulf
(( I am going to give you one bit of advice, but you didn't get it from me! Don't ever invoke the name of BEOWULF in your arguments! I am clearly 'on a side!' In fact, try to stay as neutral as you can, but keep your eyes and ears open.
And watch modern politics between Blue States and Red States.
And then go back, and connect the dots. You will find Federalists, Whigs, and Radical Republican Liberals... and what they believe. You will then find a pattern clear through William McKinley, the last of the 'Republican Liberal' Yankee-soldier Presidents... (something like 8 of the next 9 presidents up to him). Grover Cleveland was the Conservative exception (twice elected). He had a man serve in the Union army in his place...
You will see a change to the name DEMOCRAT by these same people's ideologies, and
the Liberal Democratic Parties which continue through today... It is designed to be confusing. SOUTHERN BLOCK DEMOCRATS were at one time the CONSERVATIVES.
The STATES RIGHTS boys. The 'united states of America' people, and not 'The United States of America' people.
What you end up believing is what you will end up believing...
From Washington to Bush, there is a two-party connection, though the names always get changed around.
You will study Jefferson and his Anti-Federalist party, and the great 12 year rift between
him and Adams, of the Federalists... What I call the Romulus and (Uncle!) Remus of the nation's creation.
The Conservative side is, of course, the other side.
Once you get the overview, and understand what was at stake, you can then begin to see where each side thought what. You can then narrow it down to 1860- to -1865.
For those of you that have spent 1000's of hours, 1000's of dollars in books, and many years studying the Civil War era, what few books or documents would you advise a novice to read to understand the politics of the era. I'm not interested particularly in the battles, or personalities of the generals, or the day-to-day life of the soldier, but would like to gather together a small list of appropriate, truthful literature to understand the politics of the era.
I follow this forum quite regularly and there are SO MANY books, it's hard to focus on the 'important' ones. I've been advised by unionblue about some slavery books, but I'd like to expand this to the politics of the whole era. It's too easy to keep jumping around, and get off track.
So, if you were putting together a 1-year Civil War history course (for the beginner), what texts would you use?
Clara,
I am interpreting "Era" broadly. But with that caveat, I have little doubt that you should start with these:
1. Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wrought (covers 1815-1848; new and superb)
2. David Potter, The Impending Crisis (covers 1848-1861; single best book on sectional disputes leading to the War)
3. James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom (best single-volume history of the War, its immediate precursors and aftermath)
4. Eric Foner, Reconstruction (I despise Foner's politics, but even so this is the single best book on Reconstruction I have read)
If you're more interested in focusing on the precursors to the War, you can omit the Howe and substitute William Freehling, Road to Secession I and II. The Howe is, however, truly magnificent as general yet detailed history of the 1815-48 period.
Excellent idea for a thread, Clara. I'm pasting the titles of some of these books onto a Word page I've started with other titles suggested by Unionblue. As far as my own recommendations they would be:
"Battle Cry of Freedom", by McPherson (the only reference book on the Civil War I keep close by), already mentioned.
Bruce Catton's trilogies (2 that I read) I don't know if there are more trilogies. He has some single volumes out as well. previously mentioned.
"The Civil War" trilogy by Shelby Foote. I've heard mixed reviews of these books on the board, but personally I liked them.
The remainder of the books I've read have been about individual battles. You're right, there are so many out there. I, too, would like to read more on the events leading up to the war, like "The Road to Disunion", and "The Road to Secession"
Terry
__________________ "In this great struggle, this form of Government and every form of human right is endangered if our enemies succeed. There is more involved in this contest than is realized by every one." Abraham Lincoln - August 18, 1864 Speech to the 164th Ohio Regiment
Business and Slavery: The New York Merchants and the Irrepressible Conflict ......by Philip S. Foner
__________________ POWER & MONEY
"Your New-York bankers and merchants are shrewd people, but I never gave them credit for so much sagacity as when they took the Government Loan. It was not merely patriotism, it was a high stroke of policy. It has saved the Government, and what they will regard as equally important, saved them from a great financial disaster."
Go with Catton. Simplistic and underdone, but a good place to start.
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
For those of you that have spent 1000's of hours, 1000's of dollars in books, and many years studying the Civil War era, what few books or documents would you advise a novice to read to understand the politics of the era. I'm not interested particularly in the battles, or personalities of the generals, or the day-to-day life of the soldier, but would like to gather together a small list of appropriate, truthful literature to understand the politics of the era.
I follow this forum quite regularly and there are SO MANY books, it's hard to focus on the 'important' ones. I've been advised by unionblue about some slavery books, but I'd like to expand this to the politics of the whole era. It's too easy to keep jumping around, and get off track.
So, if you were putting together a 1-year Civil War history course (for the beginner), what texts would you use?
The one book I would recommend to a beginner wishing to learn about the politics of the Civil War era would be James M. McPherson's _Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era._
Catton is more for the battles and personalities, not the politics.
David H. Donald's _Lincoln_ is a biography that also gets into the politics.
David M. Potter, _The Impending Crisis_ and William Freehling's 2-volume _The Road to Disunion_ cover the politics leading up to the war.
David M. Potter, _Lincoln and His Party in the Secession Crisis,_ and Kenneth M. Stampp, _And the War Came_ cover the politics surrounding the Fort Sumter crisis.
Cash is exactly right, but his reading list is for the advanced student. History 301. For 101, start with Catton. But don't erase Cash's recomendations. The are next.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
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