German Immigrants, Race, and Citizenship in the Civil War Era

By Alison Clark Efford

Book Overview

This study of Civil War-era politics explores how German immigrants influenced the rise and fall of white commitment to African-American rights. Intertwining developments in Europe and North America, Alison Clark Efford describes how the presence of naturalized citizens affected the status of former slaves and identifies 1870 as a crucial turning point. That year, the Franco-Prussian War prompted German immigrants to reevaluate the liberal nationalism underpinning African-American suffrage. Throughout the period, the newcomers' approach to race, ethnicity, gender, and political economy shaped American citizenship law.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1107031931
• ISBN13: 9781107031937
• Release Date: May 2013
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 278 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.1"