The Civil War

From the time the United States of America was established, slavery had been a divisive issue. As the country grew and expanded westward, compromises by leaders of the Northern and Southern states were required to maintain national unity. By 1861, however, there appeared to be no room for further compromise, and 11 Southern states sought to secede and form a separate country. The U.S. government refused to recognize secession as legal, and sent troops to quell this rebellion. The result was a four-year-long civil war in which more than 600,000 Americans lost their lives. This book in the MAJOR U.S. HISTORICAL WARS series examines the events that led up to the American Civil War. It discusses the political and military strategies that Union and Confederate leaders employed, and provides information about key people, battles, and events. The eventual victory by Federal troops preserved the United States, and led to freedom for some 4 million African-Americans who had been living in slavery in the South. Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, chronology and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest's editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. A Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.