Slavery & Abolition in the US
Select Publications of the 1800s
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Stowe, Harriet Beecher
Stowe, Harriet Beecher. A Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Boston: John P. Jewett, 1853.
This book shows how true incidents were the catalyst in creating the fictional work of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Harriet Beecher Stowe illustrates the inspirations behind the characters of Mr. Haley, Mr. and Mrs. Shelby, George Harris, Eliza, Miss Ophelia, Marie St. Clare, Legree, Topsy, etc. She uses actual letters, graphs, newspaper advertisements, newspaper articles, court cases and historical events as among the few of her primary and secondary resources.
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