Slavery in the United States (Issues & Controversies in American History) - Hardcover

Forret, Jeff

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0816081158 ISBN 13: 9780816081158

Publisher: Facts on File, 2012

Synopsis

Often called America's "original sin," slavery is arguably the greatest stain on the nation's history. Unfree African and African-American laborers contributed to the growth and development of the country, from their introduction in 17th-century Virginia to their emancipation in 1865. Despite its pervasiveness, slavery differed from region to region and era to era, and, in spite of the horrors of the institution, enslaved people carved out lives and created unique cultures and distinct traditions that enabled their survival. The cultural residue of slavery remains with us today in the modern United States, as Americans continue to struggle with issues of race and race relations born out of the era of bondage.

Slavery in the United States examines numerous controversies related to the history of slavery, including slavery and the American Revolution, the Constitution and Bible as pro- or antislavery documents, the transatlantic slave trade, colonization of free blacks, abolition, slave resistance and uprisings, slavery and western expansion, and whether escaping slaves should be accepted by Union forces during the Civil War. This brand-new volume answers any question high school and college students may have on the conflicts surrounding slavery in this country and how they were resolved.

About this title

About the Author

Jeff Forret, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of History at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. An expert on slavery and pre Civil War American history, he is the author of Race Relations at the Margins: Slaves and Poor Whites in the Antebellum Southern Countryside and Conflict and Community: Slaves, Violence, and Culture in the Antebellum South. He has written articles on slavery in journals and anthologies, including Journal of Southern History; North Carolina Historical Review; and Gold in History, Geology, and Culture: Collected Essays. In addition, he is the author of numerous encyclopedia entries on topics relating to slavery for such references as Oxford Handbook of Slavery in the Americas, Encyclopedia of Slavery in the Americas, and Gale Library of Daily Life: Slavery in America.

From the Back Cover

These brand-new volumes answer any questions high school and college students may have on debates in this country and how they were resolved. Designed to spark discussion, these new resources are essential for anyone interested in these topics and how they have affected America.

Each volume features black-and-white illustrations, maps, chronologies, primary sources, and much more to get students interested in these fascinating topics.

The new Issues and Controversies in American History series focuses on the conflicts and questions Americans have confronted and how they were eventually resolved. Each volume focuses on a single topic and includes 10–12 stand-alone chapters on specific controversies. Each chapter opens with a highlight box stating the issue and describing the conflict, followed by a narrative essay providing historical background. An exposition of the two competing sides is also included, with each side supported by primary sources (6–10 per chapter). The final outcome is also examined, and a counterfactual "what if" section suggests what could have happened had Americans chosen differently. Designed to foster debate and spark discussion, this series shows students that history is not inevitable but based on the actions and decisions that people make.

Reviews

Gr 9 Up-Broad in scope and deep in detail, this thoroughly researched series provides scholarly insight into three contentious subjects in U.S. history: slavery, the environment, and wars. Ten to 12 chapters in each title divide the topics into interesting and digestible subtopics. For example, divisions in Slavery include slavery as it related to the American Revolution, the Constitution, taxation, and westward expansion. In addition, each chapter presents arguments relevant to an opening question (e.g., "Should the Environmental Protection Agency have banned DDT?" and "Did Russia start the Cold War?"). Background information, maps, and chronologies provide context, and what-if scenarios and discussion questions encourage critical thinking. The scholarly writing and high level of detail might be more than what most high school students need. Occasional photos and reproductions are a nice touch, but do little to support or enhance the texts.α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Published as an adjunct to a database with the same series title, this Issues and Controversies in American History” entry gathers arguments, informational resources, and primary source material relating to 11 slavery-related historical issues. Presented as “yes/no” questions, each topic is systematically introduced with pro and con arguments in brief, followed by a substantial historical overview, in-depth considerations, actual outcomes, and a set of “What If?” speculations had events or decisions gone the other way. Among the questions considered are “Did the American Revolution significantly change the condition and status of black Americans?” and “Should northern military forces accept fugitive slaves who flee to Union lines?” Along with occasional biographical sidebars, the debates are supplemented with annotated lists of print and web resources, time lines, and discussion questions. Primary sources are a skimpy mix of maps and black-and-white period images and 6 to 10 relatively lengthy extracts from contemporary speeches, letters, or other documents. Despite conceptual limitations and a severe lack of visual appeal, this will support formal classroom debates or general-curriculum units. Grades 8-11. --John Peters

Edition details

• Publisher: Facts on File
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0816081158
• ISBN 13: 9780816081158
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 445