Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War

Dew’s personal Introduction describes his Confederate ancestry, and he both sincerely and ironically expresses identification with white Southern identity. Using examples, describe how this choice strengthens the book’s argument and/or how it may limit his authority or his assertions.

Early in the book, Dew states that “the story [the documents of the secession commissioners] tell is one that all of us, northerners and southerners, black and white, need to confront” (3). What stylistic choices offer points of access to a broad, diverse readership? Where, if at all, does Dew write toward a more specific identity or identities?

Some commissioners characterize Lincoln’s election as a declaration of war and the North as “fanatical.” Analyze what the South stands to gain from this characterization, and explain the larger narrative(s) it helps to construct.