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

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.

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 lives in Clovis, California.