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Title: Not about Jefferson but America
Review: Critics of this work that carp about small points concerning Jefferson miss the point entirely. The book is a useful corrective that puts slavery ands its preservation front and center in early US history. Too often, early American history barely mentions slavery until is suddenly surfaces to split the country. It was often the only issue that mattered. An abolitionist could not get elected in the Slave states, no matter what other stands they took. They would be lucky to get out alive, since many were beaten, jailed and lynched. The Free states, while solidly prejudiced, stoutly opposed the spread of slavery and the plantation system. The constant push of Slave states to spread slavery to new territories and the resistance of the Free states is the story of America from 1770 to 1865. Thanks to Wills for reminding us of that.
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