Resources for understanding the lead-up to U.S. Civil War?

[eeyore]

DS has had particular interest in anti-racism and anti-racist history, especially of the United States. Wants to better understand what led to the Civil War and in particular if the Civil War could have been avoided somehow. 

Can you suggest any resources for pre-U.S. Civil War history that focus explicitly on this topic (issue of slavery/anti-slavery movements/politics between North/South)?  

We've got some good sources for broader/general history of this time period, but always interested in any suggestions (DS loves history and so do I). 

Thanks! 

[madteaparty]

Ds and I did APUSh this year and it’s shocking how little of the curriculum is dedicated to this. Shocking.

anyway as part of the general APUSH studies we watched the American Revolution course on Yale Open, it was fabulous. I see they have one just on the civil war, FWIW.

[eeyore]

I'll check out the Yale Open resources - thanks!  Trying to work out how to do 'regular' history while keeping our focus on issues of race/racial justice and we've had some challenges, timewise. I think it's a shame that it doesn't get more attention (and have some opinions on that...) but it's also hard to go in depth in a survey class for sure! 

 

[Lori D.]

Wow, actually that is an extremely complex topic, and the reasons for the Civil War actually extend all the way back into the 1600s with the two very different ways in which the original colonies (Jamestown / royal British charter vs. Plymouth / self-governing Mayflower Compact) were initially founded. And then the very different economic and social development for each colonial area over the decades/centuries until the Civil War.

Major immediate reasons for the Civil War came from the inability to continue to maintain a "balance of power" between the major factions (northern vs. southern) as new states entered the Union (i.e. slave state vs. free state balance). Economics (of which slavery played a large role), and states rights vs. federalism were big factors that finally came to a head. So, IMO, no, there is no way a Civil War could have been avoided -- from the 1600s, the "north" and "south" were on a collision course due to those, and other, reasons. And in many ways, it certainly looks like the U.S. is *still today* living out some of the social, political, and economic consequences of choices made hundreds of years ago...

Edited May 7, 2021 by Lori D.

[Farrar]

Stamped from the Beginning is a good book to read on this. Obviously it's covering the entire history of anti-racism, but the period in the leadup to the Civil War is in there. The YA version leaves out a lot of detail, but is also a super fast read that's very worthwhile and hits the highlights.

[eeyore]

I did not know Stamped from the Beginning had a YA version!  That might work.  I've also been googling and finding speeches of leaders from the era. Davis and Stephens in their own words are pretty telling! 

[eeyore]

Thanks Lori - yeah, pretty much the history of the U.S. up until then, right? That's been part of my challenge to find a reasonable path forward. 

I agree, inevitable.  DS is sure compromise could have been had right now.  I do love his sense that surely people can be good and reasonable and work things out and avoid violence, surely, right... 😔

[Farrar]

The Stamped YA version is co-authored by Jason Reynolds, who is amazing all on his own as well. Like I said, it is a super fast read. I think I read it in two sittings. And I ended up using it in conjunction with some more "adult" resources for US history this year and was glad to have such a fly through read that still had so much depth. So while the "real" version is amazing, this is really useful as a book for students or casual readers who want an introduction. I'd assume it would be a good starting point to frame things. And then you can keep going from there.