The Stormy Present :Conservatism and the Problem of Slavery in Northern Politics, 1846–1865 - Civil War America
The Stormy Present :Conservatism and the Problem of Slavery in Northern Politics, 1846–1865 - Civil War America
paperback
Published:
28 February, 2020
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Description
In the face of such realities, Smith argues that a conservative impulse was more than just a historical or nostalgic tendency; it was fundamental to charting a path to the future. At stake for Northerners was their conception of the Union as the vanguard in a global struggle between democracy and despotism, and their ability to navigate their freedoms through the stormy waters of modernity. As a result, the language of conservatism was peculiarly, and revealingly, prominent in Northern politics during these years. The story this book tells is of conservative people coming, in the end, to accept radical change.
More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9781469659084 |
| ISBN10 | 1469659085 |
| Number Of Pages | 344 |
| Item Weight | 557 g |
| Product Dimensions | 155 x 233 x 19 mm |
| Publisher / Reseller | The University of North Carolina Press |
| Format | paperback |
Media Reviews
A nuanced and complex study, this book is an important contribution to the era's scholarship." - Choice
"Smith's portrayal of a conservative and antislavery North is subtle and historiographically profound." - Journal of the Civil War Era
"Goes beyond historical assumptions . . . . Smith brings forth much food for thought." - American Historical Review
"Through painstaking and extensive research, which is among the many estimable qualities of his book, Smith affirms that conservatism in the North was more a disposition of mind than a political creed." - Journal of American History
"A major accomplishment" - Canadian Review of American Studies
"Most political histories of the antebellum era in the North see the world from an antislavery perspective, but Smith focuses instead on the people who did not yet see slavery as the most pressing issue. This approach offers new insights and understanding about northern politics." - The Journal of Southern History
Author's Bio
Adam I. P. Smith is the Edward Orsborn Professor of U.S. Politics and Political History at the University of Oxford and author of No Party Now: Politics in the Civil War North.