The field of blood: congressional violence and the road to civil war

The Union incarnate for better and worse: the United States Congress

The mix of men in congress: meeting place of north and south

The pull and power of violence: the Cilley-Graves duel (1838)

Rules of order the rule of force: dangeous words and the gag rule debate (1836-44)

Fighting for the Union: the compromise of 1850 and the Benton-Foote scuffle (1850)

A tale of two conspiracies: the power of the press and the battle of Kansas (1854-55)

Republicans meet the slave power: Charles Sumner and beyond (1855-61)