The Impending Crisis, 1848-1861

Rating:
Summary: The Place to Start
Review: David Potter's masterwork addresses all the sticky questions about America's descent into civil war. He navigates the thicket of personalities, historical forces, and contemporary events without trying to shoehorn them into a Grand Unifying Theory.

Why did compromise fail? What was the role of slavery? How did the South think it could get away with it? Potter addresses all these and more in intensive detail, written in a fascinating, engrossing style. Potter delivers a convincing and fair account of events that is bound to complicate the opinions of those who read it. Potter will undermine the complacency of the reader, regardless of which "side" of the debate he or she thinks she's on.

_The Impending Crisis_ is a masterpiece of the historian's art, and should be required reading in any college class that includes the Civl War in its curriculum.

Rating:
Summary: The Place to Start
Review: David Potter's masterwork addresses all the sticky questions about America's descent into civil war. He navigates the thicket of personalities, historical forces, and contemporary events without trying to shoehorn them into a Grand Unifying Theory.

Why did compromise fail? What was the role of slavery? How did the South think it could get away with it? Potter addresses all these and more in intensive detail, written in a fascinating, engrossing style. Potter delivers a convincing and fair account of events that is bound to complicate the opinions of those who read it. Potter will undermine the complacency of the reader, regardless of which "side" of the debate he or she thinks she's on.

_The Impending Crisis_ is a masterpiece of the historian's art, and should be required reading in any college class that includes the Civl War in its curriculum.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding.
Review: David Potter's The Impending Crisis is the definitive account of the events leading up to the Civil War. Some works attempt to condense the causes of the war down to a few general themes and cite the "big events" which naturally support those conclusions. Potter's work is rich and comprehensive, detailing the struggles and legislative battles of unyielding political forces. You get the sense of a history told in real time-none of the legislators who attempted to forge compromises and continue to work within the legislative process could have envisioned the war to come, let alone its extent. The book suggests that the causes of the war should not be placed in a few convenient categories to evaluate their effect. In fact, every detail and every development does matter. For any history buff interested in understanding the political developments leading up to the war, this is a must.

Rating:
Summary: Profound insights on "The Nature of Southern Separatism"
Review: David Potter's work has been rightly called "magisterial" by some historians. He examines whether "Southern Nationialism" truly existed prior to 1860, and whether a mere impassioned defense of slavery was solely capable of inciting some Southerners to contemplate exercising a revolutionary right (or as Southern constitutionalists saw it, immediate secession). This chapter, coupled with his thorough understanding of the political dimension of Nativism, is sufficient alone to recommend this book. This book (20 years to complete) is the product of serious reflection on the part of the author. Professor Potter's work is a testament to his skills as a historian and writer.

Rating:
Summary: Profound insights on "The Nature of Southern Separatism"
Review: David Potter's work has been rightly called "magisterial" by some historians. He examines whether "Southern Nationialism" truly existed prior to 1860, and whether a mere impassioned defense of slavery was solely capable of inciting some Southerners to contemplate exercising a revolutionary right (or as Southern constitutionalists saw it, immediate secession). This chapter, coupled with his thorough understanding of the political dimension of Nativism, is sufficient alone to recommend this book. This book (20 years to complete) is the product of serious reflection on the part of the author. Professor Potter's work is a testament to his skills as a historian and writer.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic for Students of the Civil War
Review: For those who studied history in the 1960's. David Potter's IMPENDING CRISES brings back memories of a time when political history dominatd the study of America's past. For students who grew up in the age of new social history, Potter's work is a unique opportunity to broaden their perspective and experience the genre of another generation. A synthesis and a commentary, the book analyzes political developments in the United States From the outbreak of the Mexican War to the firing on Fort Sumter, a period that Potter sees as vital to an understanding of the causation of the American Civil War.

The cast of characters is composed of white males, be their politicians or the electorate. Female names are virtually absent from the index. Other than Dred Scott, the only other individual black person mentioned is Frederick Douglass, and it seems that Potter stretches his research to include Douglass as opposed to giving him agench. Potter's work, completed after his death by friend and associate, Don E. Fehrenbacher, is the story of the interaction of white men who made political and sometimes moral decisions and how those decisions influenced the American people.

One of the significant aspects of the book is how Potter weaves the interralated events into the pattern of socail turmoil that culminated in the Civil War, often attempting to put the reader intothe mental framework of 19th century America. Stressing slavery as the most significant contribution to the tensions leading to the war, Potter de-emphasizes the significance of Nat Turner's Rebellion and John Brown's Raid. However, he demonstrates their importanc when viewed in combination with other events and thier impact on contemporary thought. As Potter points out, "Historians customarily write about past events as if each one occurred in isolation, neatly encapsulated in a sealed container, or chapter." (P. 177) A work such as Potter's brings the student who has done indepth readings on events such as John Brown's Raid or Nat Turner's Rebellion into the reality of the larger spectrum of events.

In telling his story, Potter goes about his task ina meticulous manner, particularly when one considers the voluminous footnotes. In several instances he offers revisionist interpretations of certain characters. He shows John Brown's Raid as a futile act, a publicity stunt by contemporary standars. He attempts to rehabilitate the image of President James Buchanan, a man most historians have not held in high regard. He demonstrates the hypocrisy of many abolitionists and how Republicans maniputlated their platforms to win over Know Nothing and nativist voters. Lincoln is shown as the practical politician that he was. Piercing homes in the myths that have evolved during Lincoln's early career and campaign the presidency.

In offering his revisionists views however, I believe that Potter goes too far in his attempt to ggive a seemingly unbiased view of Justice Roger B. Taney. This is especially true when he states that "Taney's valuable contributions to American constitutional development remained unrecognized because of the Dred Scott decision." (P. 290) Granted Taney severed longer than any chief Justice other than John Marshall. In addition, he made favavorable contributions to America's economic development by reaching decisions that favored emerging industries. However, his opinions in Groves v. Slaughter (1844), Prigg v. Pennsylvania (1842) and Strader v. Graham (1850) were decidely proslavery, offering no protection to free blacks or the free states that opposed slavery.

Regarding the Dred Scott decision, Potter says "Probably no other major judicial decision in history affected the daily lives of so few people" (P. 290) While conceding in th next paragraph that the decision had indirect results, it is still difficult to understand Potter's view. Taney found that Blacks were not citizens and delineated bifurcated citizenship between federal and state government which would have significant ramifications in subsequent rulings of the court. For the first time, the Supreme Court found unconstitutional a major piece of fderal legislation. For the first time, every justice of the Supreme Court wrote an opinion on a case, a decision that takes up 248 pages of the Supreme Court Reports. Had it not been for the Civil War, the Dred Scott decision would have dictated federal policy on slavery in the territories until the nation was able to end slavery or amend the constitution and yet potter downplays its importance. The evidence is clearl that the adoption of the 14th Amendment was an attempt by Congress to overturn the Dred Scott decision, but yet Potter feels that it did not affect the daily lives of individuals.

However, the emphasis of the book is on the history of political events and not legal history. All in all every page of Potter's work is extremely worthwhile. The discussions of the development of both political parties is "worth the price of admission."

Rating:
Summary: Best book on its subject I have ever read.
Review: I cannot believe I will ever read many more interesting books than this great book. I was simply amazed and enthralled that I should find so fresh a treatment of a period in history that I knew as well as I thoughtI knew this one.Each year I select "best Book Read This Year." This book won that award for 1976. I cannot believe that anyone could fail to find this an enthralling study.

Rating:
Summary: I learned so much from this book
Review: This is a simply wonderful book. Every statement is footnoted, with references so copious it is mind-boggling. If he says Jefferson Davis had doubts secession, he will provide a footnote referencing a letter or document to back it up. Considering a topic as controversial and prone to apologia and ideological argument, it is a comfort to have the facts so well documented. I love his approach to history. Basically, he says " Here is one interpretation, and here are the facts to support it", then "Here is another, and here are the facts to support it", and if necessary, he points out his own argument, with facts to support it. The result is that even when he is making his own argument, he clearly leaves it to the reader to decide. I learned so much from this book. I have 30 pages to go, and it's one week overdue at the library, which is why I came to amazon.com: to see about buying it. I simply must own this book. Five enthusiastic stars!