American Civil Wars

April 1, 2024
An authoritative, comprehensive history of two key decades in the history of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Continuing the series that began with Taylor's American Colonies, this book explores the period that included the American Civil War, the French invasion of Mexico, and Canada's transition from a British colony to a unified dominion. Given the momentous events and delicious cast of characters, as well as the two-time Pulitzer winner's masterful storytelling skills, it's no surprise that the book is nearly impossible to put down. Many American readers will likely learn more about Mexican and Canadian history than they ever knew. The author begins in the 1850s, when the U.S. debate over slavery and its possible expansion heated to the boiling point. The West, especially California, was a coveted prize for both the free and slave states, and Kansas and Missouri were the sites of open conflict as early as 1855. Along the southern border, lands newly acquired from Mexico were viewed by the pro-slavery states as legitimate territory for expansion. At the same time, Mexico was caught in a struggle between ultraconservative landowners, predominantly white, and villagers, mostly Indigenous or mixed-race people, who comprised the majority of the population. The result was a running series of civil wars. Canada, meanwhile, tried to maintain balance between its French- and English-speaking populations, while keeping a wary eye on the U.S., which many Canadians suspected of wanting to expand north. Taylor adeptly weaves together the myriad narrative strands, focusing on the leaders most involved in the resolution of the conflicts--Lincoln, Grant, Jefferson Davis, John A. Macdonald, Benito Ju�rez, and others. Packed with vivid incidents and characterizations, the text is expertly written and exhaustively researched. A richly detailed, compulsively readable history of perhaps the most dramatic period in the history of North America.

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May 27, 2024
This sweeping account from Pulitzer winner Taylor (American Republics) examines the Civil War in a wider North American context. America’s conflict forms the backbone of Taylor’s narrative—he moves through the war’s epochal events with striking conciseness—while his explorations of developments in Canada and Mexico reveal how the fates of all three nations were intertwined. After Mexico’s defeat in the 1846–1848 Mexican-American War, the country was “bitterly divided” between conservative and liberal factions and defenseless against regular incursions by American raiders. Meanwhile, Canadian leaders worked to bridge divisions between Francophone and Anglophone states in hopes of forming a confederation—eventually established in 1867—that would be “better prepared to resist American invasion,” a perceived likelihood at the time. Strife on the continent heightened further with the French invasion of Mexico in 1862 and the 1864 elections, which were riven with tension in all three countries, especially in Mexico, where the French held votes structured to prove that Mexicans welcomed French rule. Taylor trenchantly observes that the situation in Mexico further spurred America’s Unionists, who feared similar European incursion into their own divided country. He also provides fresh analysis of Mexican and Canadian leaders Benito Juárez and John A. Macdonald, liberals whom he credits with holding their countries together in the face of out of control conservative revanchism. This penetrating study is a must for Civil War history buffs.

Starred review from June 21, 2024

The histories of the United States, Mexico, and British North America (primarily Canada) are inextricably intertwined in the years between 1850 and 1873. In this sweeping text--the fourth in a series--Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Taylor (Univ. of Virginia; American Republics) outlines the military and political events of the U.S. Civil War and developments within the nation's neighbors. His book shows that during the 1860s, Mexican liberals fought against conservative forces and a French invasion during their own civil war. American unionists fought enslavers to maintain the fragile union between the States, while British North Americans warily eyed their southern neighbors and wondered if they could quell the more restive elements of their Francophone population. After the Union victory in the Civil War, the United States emerged as the continental superpower, allowing both Canada and Mexico to consolidate their statuses as fully formed nations. Taylor argues that all three nations failed to fully realize the larger promises of 19th-century liberalism, but what they achieved was unmatched elsewhere during any similar period. VERDICT Based on an impressive array of secondary sources, this outstanding account will appeal to readers interested in the U.S. Civil War seeking to understand how it affected Mexico and British North America.--Chad E. Statler

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