From journalist and historian Richard Kreitner, a clear overview of one of the most persistent ideas in American history: the idea that the United States should be split up.
"A powerful revisionist narrative." —Eric Foner, American historian and author of The Second Founding
Contents
The core of Break It Up is simple: the United States have never truly lived up to their name. The urge for secession was not only present during the American Civil War, but existed from the founding of the country and has never disappeared since.
Key themes
- From every New England town that seceded to the independence struggle of the thirteen colonies.
- George Washington's concerns about secession west of the Alleghenies.
- Aaron Burr's plans for a new empire.
- John Quincy Adams bringing a petition for the dissolution of the United States to Congress.
- William Lloyd Garrison condemning the Constitution as a pro-slavery compact.
Relevance today
From the "cold civil war" between political opponents to contemporary secession movements in California and Texas: the tensions that now threaten the country have deep historical roots. Break It Up offers a richly documented and convincing analysis that helps to better understand the current divided America.
Practical information
The text is suitable for a broad audience with an interest in history and politics. The book is written in English and requires an advanced language level (C1-C2). The learning material is suitable for self-study, education, and professional training.
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