Clash of Extremes
The Economic Origins of the Civil War
Egnal, Marc
Hardcover
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BOOK SYNOPSIS
Clash of Extremes takes on the reigning orthodoxy that the American Civil War was waged over high moral principles. Marc Egnal contends that economics, more than any other factor, moved the country to war in 1861. Drawing on a wealth of primary and secondary sources, Egnal shows that between 1820 and 1850, patterns of trade and production drew the North and South together and allowed sectional leaders to broker a series of compromises. After midcentury, however, all that changed as the rise of the Great Lakes economy reoriented Northern trade along east-west lines. Meanwhile, in the South, soil exhaustion, concerns about the countrys westward expansion, and growing ties between the Upper South and the free states led many cotton planters to contemplate secession. The war that ensued was truly a clash of extremes. Sweeping from the 1820s through Reconstruction and filled with colorful portraits of leading individuals, Clash of Extremes emphasizes economics while giving careful consideration to social conflicts, ideology, and the rise of the antislavery movement. The result is a bold reinterpretation that will challenge the way we think about the Civil War.
AUTHOR BIO
Marc Egnal is a professor of history at York University and the author of several books, including A Mighty Empire: The Origins of the American Revolution and Divergent Paths: How Culture and Institutions Have Shaped North American Growth.
BOOK REVIEWS
Challenging a great deal of modern scholarship, Clash of Extremes promises to be the most talked-about book in years on the origins of the Civil War. Daniel W. Crofts, The College of New JerseyEgnals scholarship and detailed analysis of the data makes it hard to argue with the notion that the war, at least initially, was driven in large measure by economic factors . . . Essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in the American Civil War. Herbert White, History in Review Sure to provoke discussion. Kirkus Reviews An illuminating contribution to our understanding of the Civil Wars causes. Publishers Weekly A serious work that may well reignite a historical debate. Jay Freeman, Booklist In lively and accessible prose, Egnal has succeeded in bringing back economics as a core factor in the coming of the Civil War. Readers are in for a delightful surprise as they explore his engaging analysis of how diverging economies produced conditions that led to secession. William L. Barney, author of The Making of a Confederate Marc Egnals vigorous and original argument will inject new energy into the perpetually fascinating conversation about the meaning of the American Civil War. Edward L. Ayers, author of In the Presence of Mine Enemies, winner of the Bancroft Prize A most welcome addition to the literature on Civil War causation. It is sure to spark healthy debate about the wars origins. Michael F. Holt, author of The Fate of Their Country: Politicians, Slavery Extension, and the Coming of the Civil War
FOR RELATED BOOKS
History Books :: United States Books :: Civil War Period (1850-1877) Books
MORE BOOK INFO
ISBN: 080909536X
ISBN(13-digit): 9780809095360
Dewey Decimal: 973.7/11
Library of Congress: 2008028740
Book Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
Language: ENG
No. of Pages: 416
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