Volume 2 of The Cambridge History of Law in America focuses on the long nineteenth century (1789–1920). It deals with the formation and development of the American state system, the establishment and growth of systematic legal education, the spread of the legal profession, the growing density of legal institutions and their interaction with political and social action and the development of the modern criminal justice system. We also see how law intertwines with religion, how it becomes ingrained in popular culture and how it intersects with the worlds of the American military and of international relations. The Cambridge History of Law in America has been made possible by the generous support of the American Bar Foundation.

'This volume not only provides an excellent showcase of some of the best current writing on American legal history, but also gives a good view of the dominant approach to the subject on the other side of the Atlantic.'

Source: Edinburgh Law Review

'Cambridge History of Law in America deserves nothing but praise. It is the single best starting point for knowledge of America's legal past. It exemplifies the field's intellectual vitality and showcases some of its brightest stars. Graduate students will find the chapter-by-chapter bibliographic essays alone worth the purchase price. Volume 2 captures the sate of the field today and suggests many possible future paths.

Source: The Journal of Law and History Review