Lincoln’s significance in the history of slavery and emancipation, the Union’s preservation and the formation of a new national vision is crucial to comprehending the antebellum and Civil War periods in American history. This is a one-of-a-kind hybrid reference work that combines chronology with almost 400 primary source papers to contextualize Lincoln’s life within his historical era.
These written materials serve as the foundation upon which historians can construct a picture of Lincoln’s America. In addition to important chronology and documents, this work includes introductory essays that summarize the topics of each chapter, brief biographies of those referenced in the book, and a source bibliography. Historical records are the heart of this work. Documents illustrate different viewpoints, to provide a full grasp of the time and place, as well as Lincoln’s significance during this era.

Thomas J. Ebert is a retired reference and documents librarian at California State University, Fresno, where he also served as associate vice president for academic personnel. He lives in Clovis, California.

Allen Carden is a professor of history and former president of Fresno Pacific University. He wrote a book on the history of emancipation and was the coauthor with Thomas J. Ebert of a scholarly biography of Lincoln’s private secretary, John George Nicolay.

Compiled and Edited by Thomas J. Ebert and Allen Carden
Format: softcover (8.5 x 11)
Pages: 461
Bibliographic Info: appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2023
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8844-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4639-8
Imprint: McFarland

List of Documents  ix
Abbreviations of Sources  xvi
Preface  1
Chapter 1
Introduction • The Formative Years, 1809–1850  7
Chapter 2
Introduction • Sectionalism and Political Ambition, 1851–February 26, 1860  56
Chapter 3
Introduction • The Presidency Won, the Union Shattered, February 27, 1860–April 11, 1861  107
Chapter 4
Introduction • War Begins, April 12–December 31, 1861  159
Chapter 5
Introduction • 1862: The Year That Transformed America  205
Chapter 6
Introduction • 1863: No Turning Back  251
Chapter 7
Introduction • 1864: War Weariness and Uncertainty  295
Chapter 8
Introduction • 1865–1866: Victory and Aftermath, So Many Loose Ends  343
Appendix: Biographical Sketches  395
Bibliography  431
Index  435

“Detailed…each chapter’s contents are eclectic and absorbing…heavily researched and documented…an especially valuable resource…highly recommended”—Civil War News