Half Slave and Half Free: The Roots of Civil War (American Century Series) [Paperback]

Bruce Levine (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0374523096 | ISBN-13: 978-0374523091 | Publication Date: April 8, 1992 | Edition: 1st

Half Slave and Half Free is a powerful treatment of the basic issues and social transformations that precipitated the Civil War. In a succinct, persuasive narrative, Bruce Levine succeeds in showing how a popular basis for the Civil War developed out of the far-reaching and divisive changes in American life after the incomplete Revolution of 1776--changes that stemmed from the development of two very distinct social systems, one based on slavery, the other on free labor, which eventually made sectional differences within the framework of the Union irreconcilable.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this academic but accessible survey of the 80 years preceding the Civil War, historian Levine ( Who Built America: The Place of Labor History and Working People in U.S. History ) synthesizes a vast body of scholarship to show how the country's two different labor systems influenced economics, society, culture and, ultimately, politics. The North's free market nurtured "free will" evangelicalism over Calvinist predestination, and that evangelicalism clashed with slavery. In the South the slave system affected the planter class not only in religion but in entertainment and morality. Ironically, slaves "appropriated both the democratic-republican and evangelical Christian doctrine of the nation that held them captive and reshaped those materials into weapons of liberation." Northern unity was for years undermined by differences regarding the ethics of its own free labor system, but the South's demand for increased federal guarantees for slavery--to preserve its own economy--finally forced the North to confront the issue of slavery. That led to increased polarization and war, what black leader Frederick Douglass called "the inexorable logic of events."
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In this vigorously argued narrative tracking the causes of the Civil War, Levine tries to explain what drove so many working people to commit themselves to the cause of freedom--Southern slaves by their efforts to resist bondage and Northern farmers, mechanics, and factory laborers by their support for free soil and free labor principles. By Levine's reckoning, the slavery issue overrode ethnic and economic concerns and made sectional differences almost irreconciliable within the framework of the Union. Levine succeeds in giving fresh views of the social lives of immigrants, slaves, and working people generally, but his preoccupation with the politics of slavery overwhelms his social history and makes disunion seem more predestined than it really was. Still, this is an eminently readable, intelligent book recommended for use in college courses and for purchase by college/university libraries.
- Randall M. Miller, St. Joseph's Univ., Philadelphia
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Hill and Wang; 1st edition (April 8, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374523096
• ISBN-13: 978-0374523091
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,082,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Useful Synthesis, August 18, 2002

By 

J. Seth Witmer (Rock Island, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Half Slave and Half Free: The Roots of Civil War (American Century Series) (Paperback)

This is a compact, yet thorough, consideration of U. S. history from the American Revolution to the Civil War. In the acknowledgements Levine states plainly that his book is a "synthesis." The chapters themselves are organized around themes, and are carefully arranged throughout the book serving as building blocks for Levine's argument.

Levine's principal argument is that the essential conflict at the heart of antebellum America is between a free-labor system and a slave-labor system. And it is these systems that subsequently organize and order virtually every aspect of each section-economic, social, cultural, political. In both North and South ideas, beliefs, and mentalities are bundled together and serve to link various, and varied, groups within each section. Consequently, by the outbreak of the Civil War there is widespread support in both the Union and the Confederacy. This book is sometimes densely written, but Levine succeeds in fusing labor history and social history. His bibliography indicates he has drawn on a vast array of sources, tapping into many schools of thought. The argument exists principally in the first half of the book. Subsequently the second half becomes something of a "prelude to disunion" narrative.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Graduate Student Review, April 2, 2008

By 

Mitchell F. Mcdonald (Colorado Springs, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Half Slave and Half Free, Revised Edition: The Roots of Civil War (Paperback)

Bruce Levine's book, Half Slave and Half Free, is written about the divisions in America from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. The slave based economy of the South and the free labor economy of the North and their differences that ultimately lead America to war. In the revised edition of Mr. Levine's book he has written a new preface and afterward and bibliography. He has added information based on new information made available since the book was initially published in 1992. Levine does not use footnotes, but does explain all of his references by chapter in a new bibliography essay.

In the first five chapters Levine discusses the history of slavery and how the southern slave owners felt about their property. The evolution of crops grown in America, especially the South and how slaves were used to farm them is discussed at length. Levine also speaks of the population statistics of the South and says that only one quarter of the white population of the South are slave holders. The typical slave owner of the period, owned five or six slaves and land valued at approximately $3,000. (pp. 21)

Also in the first five chapters Levine discusses the North and the social and economy setting there before the Civil War. He speaks on how the average household and farm is managed with the families providing most of the labor. Levine also explains the fact that many of the poorer white laborers in the North were put or put their selves in bondage as "Bondsmen" to pay their passage. Typically seven years of labor were required then they were set free and established farms or businesses for themselves.

In chapter six Levine describes the beginning of the antislavery movement. The slaves stated that they had to lie to live. The resistance that the slaves used was very covert, deliberate clumsiness and stupidity, making the overseers explains the simplest task over and over. The women would even feign a pregnancy to get out of the fields for a while. The Planters stated they could never get the truth out of their slaves. (pp. 145)

From the antislavery movement Levine speaks about the various issues of allowing slavery into the new states and territories. Southern leaders in Congress such as John C. Calhoun leading other Carolinians against the federal government. Tariffs on imported manufactures were the main issue. Calhoun stated that the South was left with only three choices: (1) assert the power in the reserved rights of the states - that is, "nullify the federal tariffs; (2) submit to have their domestick (sic) institutions exhausted; or (3) in the end be forced to rebel. (pp.162) South Carolina was the most sensitive to any issues against slavery for it had in its borders some of the largest plantations in the South.

The first half of this book explains the point of view of both the South and the North about slavery. Mr. Levine drew upon many sources for his information and in this edition has updated much of his information. The book explains the history and social history behind both sides of the slavery argument. The second half of the book is dedicated to explaining the steps that were taken to dissolve the union. Half Slave and Half Free arguments and facts seem to make the disunion more predestined than it really was. The afterward that is included in the revised edition analyzes some of the reasons for the war. It also presents Lincoln's and Davis views on the war.

Mr. Levine's book is a very worthwhile read for history students, primarily in college, both undergraduate and graduate students. It is well organized and presents the facts and analysis of the events that took place and led America to Civil war.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Check it out!, December 8, 2010

By 

Caitlin (San Diego) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Half Slave and Half Free, Revised Edition: The Roots of Civil War (Paperback)

"Half Slave and Half Free" discusses American life during the antebellum era. Specifically, he discusses the economies of both the north and the south. He looks at slave labor and free labor. He also looks at the differences between the North and the South and what lead up to the war.

In all honesty, I thought this was a good book and an important read. It was perfect for a classroom setting (which is where I read it). However, I did get a little bored with all the statistics. I can't help it, I am by no means a number person. But the interesting parts of the book far out number the times I was a little bored by it. This was a vital book in understanding what lead up to the Civil War. And it was a valuable source for my term paper.

Simply, Levine's work is thoroughly researched and well written. It is worth checking out!