Caesar Mountain: Slavery and Freedom in Western Virginia i

Caesar Mountain: Slavery and Freedom in Western Virginia is a 1982 book by William W. Freehling, a historian at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The book examines the history of slavery and freedom in western Virginia, an area that was once part of the state of Virginia but is now part of the state of West Virginia.

Freehling argues that western Virginia was a unique place in the antebellum South. It was a mountainous region with a small population, and it was relatively isolated from the rest of the South. This isolation led to a different development of slavery in western Virginia than in other parts of the South.

In western Virginia, slavery was not as widespread as it was in other parts of the South. Only about 10% of the population of western Virginia was enslaved, compared to about 30% of the population of the South as a whole. This was because the mountainous terrain of western Virginia made it difficult to operate large plantations, which were the most common type of slaveholding operation in the South.

As a result of its isolation and its small population, western Virginia was also a more contested place than other parts of the South when it came to the issue of slavery. There was a strong abolitionist movement in western Virginia, and many people in the region opposed slavery. This led to a number of debates and conflicts over slavery in western Virginia, which ultimately contributed to the region's decision to secede from Virginia during the Civil War.

Caesar Mountain is a well-researched and well-written book that provides a valuable insight into the history of slavery and freedom in western Virginia. Freehling's argument that western Virginia was a unique place in the antebellum South is persuasive, and his book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the South.

Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:

• The Library of Congress has a collection of materials related to Caesar Mountain: Slavery and Freedom in Western Virginia, including the book itself, as well as reviews and articles about the book.
• The University of California, Santa Barbara, has a website dedicated to William W. Freehling, which includes a biography of Freehling and a list of his publications.
•