Conclusion/Further Reading

Dueling provides some of the most amusing and bizarre anecdotes of early America, and its peculiarities continue to intrigue modern audiences. It is also an exceptionally complex topic with far more information than what this presentation has to offer.

The connections between dueling and other 19th century social movements is worth investigating. Ministers were a notable element of the abolitionist movement as well as the anti-dueling movement, and any potential overlap in how those topics were addressed could make for an interesting topic. As research for this project developed, the role of the ministry had to be cut but their achievements should not be overlooked by those interested in the subject.

Another topic alluded to by some sources but not explored here is the impact of duels on the political process. A look into specifically how the duel went from a potential political boon for one or both participants to a severe detriment to the "victor" and his political party as a whole could yield interesting results.

Further reading 

For the interest of time, space, and a broader scope, much of the information from some of the sources had to be excluded. Joanne Freeman's book has a wealth of information on political duels in the early 1800s that was only briefly addressed here. The majority of the text in the source attributed to Levi Reese is from the editors/publishers, and contains the best compilation of information on the bizarre Cilley-Graves duel, including alleged accounts from Webb and statements from the seconds. The source does have a general anti-duel bias which shoud be kept in mind when reading.

A source that was recommended on the subject but ended up not being used is American Honor: the Creation of the Nation's Ideals During the Revolutionary Era.