Abraham Lincoln

Taking a historiographical angle, Marcus Cunliffe describes how, in 1861, the American federal experiment broke down, and there ensued the greatest and most hard-fought of modern wars before that of 1914.

The American Civil War was not a simple struggle between slaveholders and abolitionists, argues Tim Stanley.

William S. McFeely reviews Eric Foner's account of Abraham Lincoln's position on slavery.

Richard Cavendish remembers the events of December 20th, 1860.

Oct 15, 1858

Gervase Phillips points out the limitations in a common interpretation.

Susan-Mary Grant argues that the cult of the fallen soldier has its origins at Gettysburg and other battlefield monuments of the American Civil War.

John Spicer judges that slavery was the key factor in producing the conflict.

Alan Farmer is impressed by a valuable edition to the ‘Profiles in Power’ series.

Richard Carwardine describes the new library dedicated to Abraham Lincoln.

Susan-Mary Grant looks at the motivations of ordinary citizens to fight their fellow Americans under either the Confederate or the Union flags.

The image of the American Civil War as a ‘white man’s fight’ became the national norm almost as soon as the last shot was fired. Susan-Mary Grant looks at the experience and legacy of the conflict for black Americans.

Joshua Kleinfeld explores Lincoln’s attitudes towards the constitution and civil liberty during the Civil War, and finds their impact still reverberating in the US today.