The United States has never lived up to its name, argues Richard Kreitner, and it never will. Although the disunionist impulse may have found its greatest expression in the Civil War, Kreitner notes that each New England town after Plymouth was a secession from another; the 13 colonies viewed their Union as a means to the end of securing independence, not an end in itself; and Aaron Burr schemed to set up a new empire. As this history shows, the divisions that threaten to tear America apart today have roots in the earliest days of our Republic.

"A compelling narrative on the politics of secession…. [Kreitner] offers a powerful and refreshing account on disunity in America and helps us understand more about today's political fragmentation."—Library Journal