The Civil War was not the end; as is often thought; of reformist activism among abolitionists. After emancipation was achieved; they broadened their struggle to pursue equal rights for women; state medicine; workers' rights; fair wages; immigrants' rights; care of the poor; and a right to decent housing and a healthy environment. Focusing on the work of a key group of activists from 1835 to the dawn of the twentieth century; From Abolition to Rights for All investigates how reformers; linked together and radicalized by their shared experiences in the abolitionist struggle; articulated a core natural rights ideology and molded it into a rationale for successive reform movements.The book follows the abolitionists' struggles and successes in organizing a social movement. For a time after the Civil War these reformers occupied major positions of power; only to be rebuffed in the later years of the nineteenth century as the larger society rejected their inclusive understanding of natural rights. The narrative of perseverance among this small group would be a continuing source of inspiration for reform. The pattern they established—local organization; expansive vision; and eventual challenge by powerful business interests and individuals—would be mirrored shortly thereafter by Progressives.
#2249655 in Books Stackpole Books 2006-02-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.15 x 5.98l; 1.25 #File Name: 081173286X384 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A great review of Civil War leadershipBy Richard D. WomackFor Civil War enthusiasts this guide was excellent in enlightening me as to the reasons behind a lot of the early failures of the Union Army at the start of the war. It shows the incompetence that Lincoln was handicapped with and his reasoning for finally settling on one general to win the War Between the States.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. GoodBy Diggy111This is one of a two-volume set; this particular volume's subject are the major generals of the Union Army; as opposed to its sister volume which covers Confederate generals. There is a similarly titled series ('Generals in Blue'; 'Generals in Grey'); the difference between these two being that the one by Wilmer L. Jones devotes a chapter to each of the fifty or sixty most well-known generals of the Civil War; while the one by Warner tries to cover every general of the Civil War (using a paragraph or a page or two).Apparently the book was originally printed in the 1930's; and this can be seen in the writing style of author. The author's aim is to present the general who is the subject of a particular chapter in a positive light; downplaying facts the negatives though these are mentioned when significant. It is not always clear from reading about the chapter on a certain general what sort of general he really was. However; what is mentioned in passing about that same general in a subsequent chapter devoted to another general can be very revealing. For example; you discover more about McClernand's shortcomings as a general from reading the chapter on Grant than reading McClernand's own chapter.Despite this; the book is well-written and pleasant to behold (did I mention that this softcover edition has front- and back-flaps ?)and fills its Civil War -niche better than any other book I know of; so I give it five stars.
