The years 1857-1859 marked a critical sharpening of the antagonism between North and South. Allan Nevins brings these bitter years dramatically to life, providing detailed portraits of Buchanan, Douglas, and Lincoln along with penetrating analyses of the Dred Scott Decision, the tragedy of "Bleeding Kansas", the Lincoln-Douglas debates, the growing hostility within the political system. In addition he deals with the roots of popular feeling, examining social, economic and cultural forces at work during this critical period.

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