This gripping historical narrative explores the events that led to the outbreak of the American Civil War. Drawing on primary sources and eyewitness accounts, the author paints a vivid picture of the political, social, and economic factors that contributed to the crisis. Anyone interested in the history of the Civil War or American politics will find this book both informative and engaging. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.