In this book, John Lothrop Motley analyzes the causes and events leading up to the American Civil War. He draws attention to the underlying tensions between states and discusses the political and social implications of slavery in America. Motley's work is an essential read for anyone curious about the events that precipitated the Civil War. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.