The Fate of Their Country

Archival Summary & Scope

In *The Fate of Their Country*, Michael F. Holt offers a disturbingly contemporary argument: partisan politics, not irreconcilable economic systems or moral objections to slavery, caused the Civil War. Holt demonstrates that from 1845-1861, short-sighted politicians exploited the emotionally charged issue of slavery's westward expansion—despite widespread belief that slavery could not thrive in contested areas like the Mexican Cession, Oregon, and Kansas. Prioritizing reelection and political scores, these politicians weaponized the issue, inexorably driving the nation to disunion. Distilling decades of scholarship, this book challenges conventional narratives, including select speeches by Lincoln and others.