PRAISE FOR 1858

"Highly recommended—a gripping narrative of the critical year of 1858 and the nation's slide toward disunion and war...Readers seeking to understand how individuals are agents of historical change will find Chadwick's account of the failed leadership of President James Buchanan especially compelling."

—G. Kurt Piehler, author of Remembering War the American Way

"Chadwick's excellent

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One of the most significant and far-reaching events in U. S. history, the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 sharpened and brought to a head a number of crucial questions concerning slavery, states' rights, the legal status of blacks, and the effects of the Dred Scott decision. The debates were held as part of the campaign for the Illinois senatorial seat, pitting the two-term incumbent, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, against the lesser-known Abraham Lincoln,...

"This biography introduces readers to James Buchanan including his early political career and key events from Buchanan's administration including the Dred Scott case and the secession of seven Southern states prior to the American Civil War. Information about his childhood, family, personal life, and retirement years is included. A timeline, fast facts, and sidebars provide additional information. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to...

Presents a revisionist account of the period between Lincoln's election and the firing on Fort Sumter, evaluating the contributions of key figures and the circumstances that contributed to the Civil War's inevitability.

Follows Abraham Lincoln's political career from his senatorial campaigning in Illinois to his early actions as president, discussing his political opponents and the state of the American government at that time.