NF Recommended Book List for 1850s Antebellum America?

Non-Fiction

BlueandGrayl

First Sergeant
Joined
May 27, 2018
Location
Corona, California
Right now, I have read four Civil War-related books about antebellum politics such as America's Great Debate by Fergus M. Bordewich (2013), On the Brink of Civil War: The Compromise of 1850 and How It Changed the Course of American History by John C. Waugh (2003), Prologue to Conflict: The Crisis and Compromise of 1850 by Holman Hamilton (1964) and Texas, New Mexico and the Compromise of 1850: Boundary Dispute and Sectional Crisis by Mark Joseph Steigmeier (1996). I am about to get The Fate of Their Country (1999) and The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party: Jacksonian Politics and the Onset of the Civil War by Philip Holt (2003). All of them covered not just the legislative back and forth between the North and the South but also Texas sending a militia to claim Santa Fe and half of New Mexico thus almost sparking an early Civil War no less which is arguably the most interesting aspect of what was going on in America prior to the Compromise of 1850. I am currently looking for books that cover not just antebellum politics of that period but also the rapid changes and anyone is free to post suggestions.
 
America in 1857 by Kenneth M. Stampp. The story of the year 1857 in American History. This was one of the most pivotal years in American before the Civil War.
 
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Right now, I have read four Civil War-related books about antebellum politics such as America's Great Debate by Fergus M. Bordewich (2013), On the Brink of Civil War: The Compromise of 1850 and How It Changed the Course of American History by John C. Waugh (2003), Prologue to Conflict: The Crisis and Compromise of 1850 by Holman Hamilton (1964) and Texas, New Mexico and the Compromise of 1850: Boundary Dispute and Sectional Crisis by Mark Joseph Steigmeier (1996). I am about to get The Fate of Their Country (1999) and The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party: Jacksonian Politics and the Onset of the Civil War by Philip Holt (2003). All of them covered not just the legislative back and forth between the North and the South but also Texas sending a militia to claim Santa Fe and half of New Mexico thus almost sparking an early Civil War no less which is arguably the most interesting aspect of what was going on in America prior to the Compromise of 1850. I am currently looking for books that cover not just antebellum politics of that period but also the rapid changes and anyone is free to post suggestions.
The first four volumes of Nevins Ordeal of the Union covers 1847-1861.
 
The first four volumes of Nevins Ordeal of the Union covers 1847-1861.
You beat me to it! Nevins is the best author I have ever read on the antibellum United States. This series is long and exhaustive, but it is thorough and extremely well-cited. Long discussions and excerpts from original sources, that are easy to refer to now since many of them are now digitized. ¨Ordeal of the Union¨ was his life work, and I think that Nevins is unfortunately headed toward ¨obscure and forgotten¨ as time has marched on. Not trying to scare you off, but I spent about 4 or 5 months with these books - and every minute was well-spent.
 
Just 1850? No further? I’ll need to look into what the eras of books, but Daddy collected the Tall Cotton listing of books. I believe this was considered the books every true Southern gentleman should have in his personal library.
It’s possible the listing in its entirety wouldn’t be helpful to you but some suggested books might fall into the date parameters you’re setting.
 
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