The Great Schism: The Dividing of Virginia during the American Civil War (English Edition) [Kindle-editie] beoordelingen het boek quotes

Until 1850, the economic, political, and social divisions in Virginia were substantially the same as those found in the nation, with westward expansion acting as a catalyst to magnify sectional differences. During this period, the Shenandoah Valley shared the interests of the western part of the state. Following the convention of 1850, northwestern radicals took control of the forces that ultimately led to the division of Virginia into two states, and both the Valley and the southwestern Appalachian regions sought to distance themselves from the northwest. Secession, of course, opened the door for the radicals to effect the “political rape” that produced the illegitimate child of West Virginia.