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Susan Merritt (1826-1879) Anti-Slavery Picnic at Weymouth Landing, Massachusetts c 1845. American. Watercolor, gouache, and collage on paper. 74.9x100 cm. Courtesy of The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Ill (http://www.artic.edu); gift of Elizabeth R. Vaughan; photograph © 1999, The Art Institute of Chicago.

The United States entered the middle decades of the 19th century in a mood of exuberance. Nothing seemed impossible. By 1840, the number of states had doubled from the original 13; the population had quadrupled. The economic depression that had followed the financial panic of 1837 was easing. Growth was in the air; the appetite for expansion was keen. Political debate was robust. The Whigs elected their first president, defeating Democratic incumbent Martin Van Buren, and took a majority in Congress. The newly formed Liberty Party also ran a candidate. On the other hand, there were serious problems to be addressed, and the . . . [Full Text of this Article]