ebooks Henry Ossian Flipper: West Point's First Black Graduate by Jane. Eppinga in History

Description

If I were two-faced; would I be wearing this one?―Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln is revered in the USA and throughout the world as a political hero and virtual martyr. He is known as the saviour of the Union; victor in the American Civil War and the Great Emancipator of slaves. But is this glowing reputation deserved? In this engaging and sometimes provocative new book; Alan Sked overturns the consensus on an American hero; and provides an original angle on the political career of an otherwise impenetrable figure. The cult of Abraham Lincoln is based on two propositions: firstly; that he was forced into Civil War in 1861 by Southern determination to secede but managed to save the Union; secondly; that he used the war to implement his long-held desire to free America's slaves. Sked here contests these assumptions with fresh new research; shedding light on the truth behind the causes of the Civil War and Lincoln's problematic relationship with African-Americans. Was the Civil War inevitable? Did Lincoln's dogged insistence on the illegality of secession needlessly cost 650;000 lives that could have been spared? Did Lincoln receive a democratic mandate in 1860 with only 39% of the overall vote? What was his attitude toward Native Americans? What really were his views on the liberation of African-American slaves? Sked scrutinises the legitimacy of Lincoln's eminent status; and offers a rare glimpse into the life and politics of a flawed hero. An informed and unique view; this engagingly written book will fascinate general readers and prove essential for students and specialists.