. >> his new book, america's great debate, stephena douglas and the compromise that preserve the union. what is so great about the great compromise? >> most people don't know anything about the compromise, have a vague recollection for junior high school. the nature of the crisis was this come in the kutcher ratcheted right of civil war. most of the political culture in americans that war was going to take base. the deep house was going to succeed as and ever closer to secession of most americans today realize. certainly the deep south states. texas is arming, other southern states. why am i talking about texas? had there been a collision? said were begun in 1850 that would have begun charles and for santa fe, new mexico. why? texas its own imperial ambitions could move westward supported by the slaveholding out and to invade the new mexico territory. there's many other parts to the crisis fundamentally with whether or not the west would be slaves or free. in 1850 assizes militarized. southern nationalism sap. jefferson davis and that the southern confederacy was to be formed now, he w