The Story
The Civil War divided New Jersey just as it did the nation. As a small state sandwiched between two large and powerful neighbors, New Jersey had always enthusiastically supported the creation of a strong central government. On the other hand, many New Jersey citizens did not share the anti-slavery sentiments of the North; they supported property rights of slave owners and believed blacks to be naturally inferior. William J. Jackson examines the ironies, paradoxes, and contradictions that characterized New Jersey's unique historical role in the war, examining social and political dynamics along with the military history
Description
The Civil War divided New Jersey just as it did the nation. As a small state sandwiched between two large and powerful neighbors, New Jersey had always enthusiastically supported the creation of a strong central government. On the other hand, many New Jersey citizens did not share the anti-slavery sentiments of the North; they supported property rights of slave owners and believed blacks to be naturally inferior. William J. Jackson examines the ironies, paradoxes, and contradictions that characterized New Jersey's unique historical role in the war, examining social and political dynamics along with the military history
