The rise of the Lincoln and the newly formed Republican Party put the south on edge, with their principles, rather than policies, of being anti-slavery. That swing the balance towards a Union where there were more slave states than non. McPherson makes the excellent point that the expansion of the "Union" south and westwards swallowed up new slave states. The first 300 pages of the book are the best in my opinion, where McPherson draws a magnificent line between the end of the Mexican War in 1848 and the first shots of the Civil War (some papers referenced as early as 1851 "first shots of Civil War at Christiana").
I finally settled on Battle Cry For Freedom by James McPherson and am entirely satisfied with the book - it is a brilliant summation of the economic, political and military details before and during the war. Trawling through the masses of Civil War books, it became difficult to choose one alone. There are extensive notes so readers can investigate fully various subjects of the book.
It's beautifully written and worth the time it takes you to plow through it. I really believe that any student of American histroy must read this book. It is a thoroughly detailed review of the major causes of the Civil War and if you don't understand it after reading this book, you never will. It is impossible to undestand what the Civil War was without understanding the background, so I fail to understand the complaints of some reviewers that the war only shows up after about 300 or so pages.
#BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM MCPHERSON BOOK COVER SERIES#
It was actually written as part of a greater series "The Oxford History of the United States." It covers the Civil War era, not just the war itself, and covers about twenty years from 1847-1865. There does seem to be some confusion about the purpose of the book. The idea that Americans would place allegiance to their states over the national governement seems so utterly foreign now, it amazes me to think how so much has changed since those days. He truly brings to life that feeling of utter division that was the Civil War and one wonders how the country ever healed and how it has become so united. McPherson's writing style is quick, clear, and easy to read. This is probably the best one volume book on the Civil War out there.
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