The Early National Period and Expansion: 1783 to 1859 (Handbook to Life in America) - Tapa dura

Encompassing the period leading up to the Civil War, the interval from 1783 to 1859 witnessed the newly implemented concept of a democratically organized state. The fast growth of the national economy gave rise to a new middle class not founded on pedigree while the acquisition of new territories provided many opportunities for immigrants to seek their fortunes. As the colonies expanded into a country, writers and artists began to describe a national character in their works. Above all, the institution of slavery overshadowed the country's daily and political life and the battle for its abolition began to divide communities. Characterized by social upheaval and moral reform, this period in modern American history preceded one of the most significant battles fought on American soil: the Civil War.

Dr. Rodney P. Carlisle is a professor emeritus of Rutgers University. He received his AB degree from Harvard College and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. He most recently served as general editor of the award-winning Encyclopedia of Politics: The Left and Right (2005) and authored The Iraq War (2004).