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The Peculiar Institution: A History of United States Slavery

Vince Hayes

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Published in Unrequited Toil: A History Of United States Slavery (Cambridge Essential Histories)

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Unrequited Toil: A History of United States Slavery (Cambridge Essential Histories)

by Calvin Schermerhorn

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1929 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	266 pages

Slavery was a central institution in the United States for over two centuries. It shaped the nation's economy, society, and politics, and its legacy continues to reverberate today. In this comprehensive and accessible history, Eric Foner offers a panoramic view of slavery in the United States, from its origins in the Atlantic slave trade to its abolition after the Civil War.

Foner begins by exploring the economic foundations of slavery. He shows how the demand for labor on Southern plantations drove the growth of the transatlantic slave trade. He also examines the social and cultural dimensions of slavery, including the lives of enslaved people and the ways in which they resisted their oppression.

Foner then turns to the political debates over slavery. He traces the rise of the abolitionist movement and the growing sectional tensions that led to the Civil War. He also examines the Reconstruction era and the efforts to rebuild the nation after slavery.

The Peculiar Institution is a magisterial work of scholarship that offers a deep and nuanced understanding of slavery in the United States. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the history of this country.

Reviews

"A brilliant and comprehensive history of slavery in the United States. Foner's mastery of the subject is evident on every page."—James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom

"A sweeping and authoritative account of slavery in the United States. Foner's book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand this dark chapter in our history."—David Brion Davis, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Problem of Slavery

About the Author

Eric Foner is a distinguished professor of history at Columbia University. He is the author of numerous books on American history, including The Reconstruction Era, which won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1989. He is also the general editor of The Cambridge History of the United States.