The article, written with Robert Sampson, is titled "A Shift in Politics: Macon County in the Civil War Era." Macon County is one county east of the state capital of Springfield, and Decatur is its largest city.

Best contributed curriculum ideas and materials that secondary school teachers may use in analyzing the political conflict that took place between Republicans and Democrats during the Civil War. The article will be particularly useful to teachers who are looking for ways to illustrate the war of words between these political parties and Illinois newspapers.

This is the fourth article Best has published with the journal. Previous ones featured studies of Civil War medicine, the Peace Democratic movement during the Civil War and John Deere and his steel plow. Another article on the development of railroads in Chicago is due for publication later this year.

Best, who is also a seventh grade American history teacher for the Monmouth-Roseville School District, teaches courses on the Civil War and secondary social studies methods at Monmouth College.