Part I: The Long Voyage of Daniel Pope Cook. Twenty Gallons of Whiskey -- The Utmost Good Faith -- Ties of Blood -- A Bearer of Despatches -- The Grievances of Territorial Government -- Part 2: Nathaniel Pope and the Roads Not Taken. Truly an Amiable Character -- The Snarl of Suspicion -- Candour and Good Faith -- Nothing Certain Can Be Calculated On -- To Accomplish this Object Effectually -- Part 3: The Enigmatic Mr. Kane and the Convention of 1818. A Spirit of Adventure and Enterprise -- The Right to Frame a Constitution -- The Great Work Before Us -- A Little "Prudence" -- Fait Accompli -- Epilogue: The Road to Kaskaskia

"Avenues of Transformation tells the tale of Illinois's admission to the Union in 1818-the campaign for statehood, the passage by Congress of an act enabling statehood, and the state's first constitutional convention-through the leadership of three early leaders: Daniel Pope Cook, Nathaniel Pope, and Elias Kent Kane"--