Abraham Lincoln's World: How Riverboats, Railroads, and Republicans Transformed America

Description

A unique look at the United States in the first half of the nineteenth century Abraham Lincoln's World describes not only important new developments during Lincoln's life-time, but also relates them - and other key events- to the appropriate historical and geographical context. There are chapters devoted to Missouri, California, Kansas, Texas and the deep south, and to Illinois, Lincoln's own home-state. The book's final chapter focuses on Lincoln's four years (1861-65) in the White House, but it also describes how Lincoln won both the presidential race and the war that then followed, almost inevitably, as a result of this victory. Thomas Crump also examines how the United States was transformed - politically, economically, geographically and socially - during Lincoln's life and how more than anyone else, he adapted to these changes and gave them a new direction. Crump's portrait of Lincoln's America shows how institutions, places and people changed during Lincoln's lifetime and how by the time of his death the country was on the verge of a great breakthrough. Written with clarity and insight this is an engaging account of the true beginnings of the modern United States.

Thomas Crump, born into a family of authors, published his first book in 1963. In the course of more than 40 years spent mainly as an academic, Thomas Crump has published many books. Since retirement in 1994 he has extended his range to write new books about history, science and medicine.

Thomas Crump's clear, insightful and engaging account of the beginnings of modern America explains, in many ways, how the US came to require the brave sacrifice of David Llewellyn and many others. It also compellingly describes how Americans developed the means to face one another in a dreadful conflict of mass artillery, troop movements by rail and steamboat, early machine guns and menacing industrial power. * The Marlburian Club Magazine, Winter 2009 *