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Date of Graduation
Spring 5-7-2010
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Department of History
Abstract
This work discusses three counties in Georgia during the secession crisis from Abraham Lincoln's election in November 1860 until Georgia seceded from the Union in January 1861. The focus of this paper originally began with Thomas County, Georgia, the only county in southwest Georgia not to vote for secession. Research began with the simple idea of finding out why Thomas County's citizens opposed secession. Dougherty and Muscogee counties were included to add a broader scope to the research and make the paper more useful for comparison to other counties in Georgia. By using methodology consist with historical research, the conclusion of this paper is that the secession debate in Georgia was simply a continuation of the political fighting between Democrats and Whigs that had occurred in the state since the 1830s. Thus, political allegiance played a vital role in determining support for, or opposition to, secession in these three counties.
Recommended Citation
Robinson, Thomas William, ""Just before a mighty earthquake:" Three southwest Georgia counties during the Secession Crisis, November 1860-January 1861" (2010). Masters Theses, 2010-2019. 408.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/master201019/408
