The Antebellum Period
The antebellum (before the war) period stretches across four decades (1820-1860) and eleven presidential administrations (including that of William Henry Harrison, who died of pneumonia just thirty-one days after taking office). It was characterized by the rise of abolitionism, which was a movement to end slavery throughout the nation. However, there were also many Americans, especially in the southern states, who wanted to keep slavery as a permanent institution. The heated debate between the abolitionists and the people who wanted to maintain slavery increasingly and bitterly divided the nation.
Outline of Events & Issues
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People of the Time
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