“The authors integrate the cultural, social, economic, and military history of the state into a highly readable, interesting story of antebellum Kentucky” (Marion Lucas, author of A History of Blacks in Kentucky). Kentucky Rising presents a comprehensive view of the commonwealth in the sixty years before the Civil War. Covering everything from architecture and entertainment to the War of 1812 and the politics of slavery, historians James A. Ramage and Andrea S. Watkins explore this crucial but often overlooked period to reveal an era of great optimism and progress. Drawing on a wealth of primary and secondary sources, Ramage and Watkins demonstrate that the eyes of the nation often focused on Kentucky, which was perceived as a leader among the states before the Civil War. Globally oriented Kentuckians were determined to transform the frontier into a network of communities exporting to the world market and dedicated to the new republic. Kentucky Rising offers a valuable new perspective on the eras of slavery and the Civil War. “An outstanding, beautifully written book that centers on Kentucky's contributions to the nation during the antebellum era.” —Bowling Green Daily News