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xvii “Debate,” “controversy,” “argument,” “conflict,” “struggle,” “clash,” “battle,” “war”—all of these terms have been used to describe the status of the abortion issue in American society and politics, and it has been this way for a half century. The conflict plays out in our legislatures, political parties, courts, religious institutions, the military, prisons, the health system, and even foreign policy. And there is no other country where the battles over abortion are so intense and pervasive. What is this conflict? What are people fighting about? Where did it come from? Who are the players and where and how do they engage each other? Why is it so hard to settle? Ultimately, what impact has this contentious climate had on the provision of abortion services and providers, women, and our society? This book describes the origins and changes in the conflict over abor- tion the major combatants what they are fighting about the arenas for the conflicts and the effects on politics, policy, and social debate. The objective is to provide timely information to readers and resources for further exploration of the topic. We start with the basics in Chapter 1. That means looking at the public history of abortion since the founding of the Ameri- can republic, especially the campaign to criminalize the proce- dure during the 19th century. Then we see how the criminal laws became out of date in the mid-20th century, provoking a new campaign, this time for reform and repeal of these crimi- nal laws. Roe v. Wade was the turning point in 1973. This deci- sion legalized abortion but did not end the debate in fact, it gave birth to the clashes we live with today. The pro-choice and Preface