Historical Context: the eve of the Civil War

To get a better sense of the context in which Northup published his narrative, take a look at page four from the Sep 9, 1847, issue of The National Era a broadsheet newspaper published in Washington DC. I’ve linked the newspaper page at right. (You’ll need to zoom in to read the small print!)

Skim through 4 or 5 items (articles, essays, poems, advts) in the newspaper to get a sense of its politics. Then focus on one item in particular and write a brief ¶ to post as HW: first, identify the item you focused on, then use details from that item to assert something about the hopes, fears, politics, or aesthetic of the newspaper and its readership.