John Ashworth is Professor of American History at the University of Nottingham. He is the author of numerous books, including Slavery, Capitalism and Politics in the Antebellum Republic (Cambridge University Press, 1995, 2007), the second volume of which won the James A. Rawley award given by the Southern Historical Association.

'Drawing on his own highly regarded work on the origins of the Civil War and his command of current historiography, John Ashworth has produced a compelling and lucid account of the road to disunion. He convincingly places slavery where it belongs - at the center of the era's social and political conflict - and makes the slaves themselves important actors in the story.' Eric Foner, Columbia University

• 1. The United States in 1848: a nation imperiled; 2. Crisis at mid-century, 1848–51; 3. Immigrants, alcoholics and their enemies: ethnocultural issues, 1851–4; 4. Preparing for disaster: the politics of slavery, 1851–4; 5. Political maelstrom, 1854–6; 6. North and south, republican and democrat; 7. Political polarisation, 1857–60; 8. Secession and the outbreak of war, 1860–1; 9. Conclusion: slavery, emancipation, and the Civil War.

John Ashworth is Professor of American History at the University of Nottingham. He is the author of numerous books, including Slavery, Capitalism and Politics in the Antebellum Republic (Cambridge University Press, 1995, 2007), the second volume of which won the James A. Rawley award given by the Southern Historical Association.

'Drawing on his own highly regarded work on the origins of the Civil War and his command of current historiography, John Ashworth has produced a compelling and lucid account of the road to disunion. He convincingly places slavery where it belongs - at the center of the era's social and political conflict - and makes the slaves themselves important actors in the story.' Eric Foner, Columbia University

• 1. The United States in 1848: a nation imperiled; 2. Crisis at mid-century, 1848–51; 3. Immigrants, alcoholics and their enemies: ethnocultural issues, 1851–4; 4. Preparing for disaster: the politics of slavery, 1851–4; 5. Political maelstrom, 1854–6; 6. North and south, republican and democrat; 7. Political polarisation, 1857–60; 8. Secession and the outbreak of war, 1860–1; 9. Conclusion: slavery, emancipation, and the Civil War.

John Ashworth is Professor of American History at the University of Nottingham. He is the author of numerous books, including Slavery, Capitalism and Politics in the Antebellum Republic (Cambridge University Press, 1995, 2007), the second volume of which won the James A. Rawley award given by the Southern Historical Association.

'Drawing on his own highly regarded work on the origins of the Civil War and his command of current historiography, John Ashworth has produced a compelling and lucid account of the road to disunion. He convincingly places slavery where it belongs - at the center of the era's social and political conflict - and makes the slaves themselves important actors in the story.' Eric Foner, Columbia University

• 1. The United States in 1848: a nation imperiled; 2. Crisis at mid-century, 1848–51; 3. Immigrants, alcoholics and their enemies: ethnocultural issues, 1851–4; 4. Preparing for disaster: the politics of slavery, 1851–4; 5. Political maelstrom, 1854–6; 6. North and south, republican and democrat; 7. Political polarisation, 1857–60; 8. Secession and the outbreak of war, 1860–1; 9. Conclusion: slavery, emancipation, and the Civil War.