A history of the American people, Vol. 4 [of 5] : Critical changes and civil war

This volume follows the United States through a period of sweeping political, economic, and social transformation, beginning with Andrew Jackson and the rise of popular democracy. It examines the fierce contests over presidential power, the national bank and treasury, expanding transportation and industry, and the changing balance between states and the federal government.

As the nation grows westward, debates over slavery become increasingly difficult to contain. The narrative introduces influential figures including Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, Martin Van Buren, and Abraham Lincoln’s predecessors, while tracing events in Texas, Mexico, and the expanding American West. Alongside political crises, it offers glimpses of railroads, steamboats, literature, reform movements, and everyday life in a rapidly modernizing country. With portraits, maps, campaign materials, and contemporary scenes enriching the account, this volume presents the mounting tensions that reshape American democracy and lead toward armed division.