Ordeal by Fire: The Civil War and ReconstructionThe Civil War is the central event in the American historical consciousness. While the Revolution of 1776-1783 created the United States, the Civil War of 1861-1865 preserved this creation from destruction and determined, in large measure, what sort of nation it would be. The war settled two fundamental issues for the United States: whether it was to be a nation with a sovereign national government, or a dissoluble confederation of sovereign states; and whether this nation, born of a declaration that all men are created with an equal right to liberty, was to continue to exist as the largest slaveholding country in the world. The Constitution of 1789 had left these issues unresolved. By 1861 there was no way around them; one way or another, a solution had to be found. - Preface. |
Contents
The Setting of Conflict | 1 |
MAPS | 7 |
TwoThe Antebellum South | 23 |
Copyright | |
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abolitionists American antislavery artillery assault attack Banks battle became Benjamin Butler blockade Bragg brigades Bruce Catton campaign captured cavalry Chattanooga Civil command Compromise Confederacy Confederate army congressional constitutional convention corps cotton Court defensive divisions Douglas Dred Scott election emancipation Emancipation Proclamation enemy federal fighting flank freedmen Freedmen's Bureau Frémont Fugitive Slave Fugitive Slave Law Georgia governor Grant guerrillas Hooker infantry issue Jackson Jefferson Davis Johnston July Kansas labor land leaders Lee's legislature Lincoln Louisiana majority March McClellan miles military militia Mississippi Missouri navy Negro North Northern Democrats officers party percent political Potomac President proslavery radical railroad Rebels Reconstruction regiments reinforcements Republicans retreat revolution Richmond River Rosecrans secession Senate Seward Sherman slavery soldiers South Carolina Southern Sumter Tennessee territory tion troops Union army Union forces Unionists Vicksburg victory Virginia vols vote voters Washington West Whigs Wilmot Proviso wrote Yankees York