Abraham Lincoln and the Union: A Chronicle of the Embattled North

"Abraham Lincoln and the Union: A Chronicle of the Embattled North" by Nathaniel W. Stephenson, is a historical exploration of the United States during the Civil War, spotlighting the growing tensions between the North and South and Abraham Lincoln's crucial efforts to maintain the Union. The book starts by setting the stage with the vast separations within the nation after the Compromise of 1850, highlighting the arguments and ideas by figures like Senator Benjamin Wade. These separations weren't just about slavery, but showed the different ways of life, labor ideas, and political goals of each side. It looks at how the North and South saw themselves, the important political figures of the time, the different political parties, and the question of whether the nation would survive, all of which led to the war. Readers will consider sectionalism, what democracy meant, and how personal and political reasons mixed together to shape this troubled time in American history.