America 1844: Religious Fervor, Westward Expansion, and the Presidential Election that Transformed the Nation

Bicknell’s consideration of this watershed in American history is solid, although he relies too much on research of other scholars. Bicknell excels in bringing to life political figures such as Sen. Henry Clay and President James K. Polk. In addition to exploring deep-rooted issues of religious turmoil and westward expansion, Bicknell closely considers 1844’s great problem: the future of Texas. The territory’s annexation, the resulting war with Mexico, and, eventually, the Civil War were set in motion by Polk’s election to the presidency that year. As the title suggests, Bicknell’s work concentrates on the events of a single calendar year, which is inherently problematic—historical trends and occurrences rarely fit within the confines of an arbitrary time frame. Unfortunately, at no point in this breezy text does Bicknell justify his central claim that the 1844 election “transformed the nation” or explain how exactly it might have done so. That said, Bicknell’s brisk work is still an accessible and informative take on antebellum American politics. Agent: Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. [em](Nov.) [/em]