What caused the American Civil War? Better yet, what caused the causes? In order to discover the answers, it’s essential to explore the context of the United States at the time… How had the country changed since its independence in 1776? What foundations had it been built upon? What growing pains affected not just the government but also the citizenry? And how did leaders attempt to deal with the one issue that just couldn’t be swept under the rug?

Recommended Booklist

Adams, James Truslow. The Rise of the Union. Vol. 1 of The March of Democracy: A History of the United States. 7 vols. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1932-1955.

Catton, Bruce. The Coming Fury. New York: Doubleday, 1961.

Ellis, Joseph J. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation. New York: Vintage Books, 2000.

Hanson, Victor Davis. The Father of Us All. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010.

Heidler, David S. & Jeanne T. Henry Clay: The Essential American. New York: Random House, 2010.

Larson, Edward J. A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America’s First Presidential Campaign. New York: Free Press, 2007.

McPherson, James. Battle Cry of Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.

Rasmussen, Dennis C. Fears of a Setting Sun: The Disillusionment of America’s Founders. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2021.

Reynolds, David S. Waking Giant: America in the Age of Jackson. New York: HaperCollins, 2008.

Season 1 Episode 2 – The Father of All

Breaking Nation: A Civil War Podcast is a production of Waveland Creative.
Host: Scott Holmgren
Check out our website at http://www.breakingnation.com