American Slavery: 1619-1877 (10th Anniversary Edition)

This a top notch survey of the many aspects of American slavery. The book's author, Peter Kolchin, expertly presents readers with a good grasp on how historians' views on slavery have developed, where there is disagreement, and what areas need greater exploration. Its brevity and comprehensiveness make it a book which will serve as a guide for further reading. Kolchin further assists readers in that effort by providing a wonderful bibliographic essay at the end of his book. I enjoyed this book immensely and recommend it to anyone interested in understanding the uniqueness of slavery in America.

A fantastic look at the history of American slavery. Kolchin does a great job of showing the changes and defining practices of slavery.

This book does a pretty good job in summarizing American slavery in about 300 pages but falls short in the period from 1850 to the Civil War.

The book divides the history of American slavery into two periods: the Colonial Era which ended with the American Revolution and the Antebellum Era from the American Revolution to the Civil War.

While the first African slaves arrived in 1619, most of the nonfree labor for the sixteenth century was done by indentured servants (temporary slaves) from Europe. This source began drying up in the seventeenth century as economic conditions improved in Europe. The major use of nonfree labor then switched to African slaves.

The first area to use African slaves was the Upper South tobacco-growing states of Maryland, Virginia, and northeastern North Carolina. Then came the Lower South rice-growing states of South Carolina, Georgia, and southeastern North Carolina.

After the American Revolution it seemed that slavery was starting to die out. The Northern states had banned slavery, the slave trade ended in 1808, and there was an increasing emphasis on liberty and equality because of the revolution. But the tremendous increase in the cotton trade in the nineteenth century ended all this. The focus of slavery then switched south to the Deep South cotton-growing states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, and also west to Texas. All this of course came to an end in 1865 with the Civil War.

The one area the book does not cover is major developments such as the Missouri Compromise, the Fugitive Slave Law, and the Dredd Scott decision during the era leading up to the Civil War. Otherwise, this book is a good review of the slave era.

This is a perfect intro for the beginner and for teachers looking for a way to get a hold of what has become a vast subject. Makes a nice book to assign to undergrads as well.

How does one write a book claiming to be this comprehensive without mention of Dred Scott (1857). The author leaves out other critical details and rushes past important events. A fair depiction of slavery but too much nodding to other historians and not enough focus on history.

This book is well written, covers the information in a clear format. This book is very fascinating.

This book was pre-owned which was how it was advertised. It was acceptable and not shabby. The book arrived within a reasonable period of time as I was told it would.

Well balanced history that provides a ton of insight in the current African American culture that is still practiced today. This should be the basis for high school study of the subject.

Fascinating, short interpretation of the history of slavery in the U.S. with comparisons to Brazil, the Caribbean, Russia and other time periods. Until the middle of the 19th century, most immigrants to the "land of the free" were either slaves or indentured. Eye opening.

Purchased for a summer school class. Great read!