Promotional Information

The battle for true equality in America seen through the men, ideas, and politics behind the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments passed at the end of the Civil War.

About the Author

MICHAEL BELLESILES, once a visiting professor at Trinity College in Connecticut and a professor of history at Emory University, is the author of numerous books on American history-including 1877 and A People's History of the U.S. Military. Bellesiles received his BA from the University of California-Santa Cruz and his PhD from the University of California at Irvine. He lives in Connecticut.

Reviews

"This thoughtful, splendidly detailed book traces the long and tangled history of the Constitution from its inception through the Civil War, ending with the Supreme Court's tragic dashing of Reconstruction era dreams of equality. No other single volume so clearly illuminates the three postwar amendments or offers such a nuanced analysis of the complicated interplay of politics, race, and gender. Skillfully researched and highly readable." -- Douglas R. Egerton, author of Heirs of an Honored Name: The Decline of the Adams Family and the Rise of Modern America