Summary
On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces fired on federal troops stationed at Fort Sumter near Charleston, South Carolina. With that, the Civil War had begun. For nearly four years, the conflict that divided the United States into North and South would engulf more than 3 million Americans and claim 620,000 lives. The war marked a defining point in American history, and its effects are still felt today. The Outbreak of the Civil War: A Nation Tears Apart examines the factors that led the nation to war. At the heart of these were differing positions on slavery, states’ rights, and the future shape of the United States. The battles first waged in Missouri, in Kansas, in political parties, in the Supreme Court, and in the U.S. Senate set the stage for the violence that divided Americans and led the United States into civil war.
Specifications
Full-color and black-and-white photographs. Biographical sidebars. Excerpts from primary source documents. Chronology. Timeline. Bibliography. Further reading. Footnotes. Index.
About the Author(s)
Heather Lehr Wagner is a writer and an editor. She is the author of more than 30 books that explore social and political issues and focus on the lives of prominent men and women. She earned a B.A. in political science from Duke University and an M.A. in government from the College of William and Mary. She lives with her family in Pennsylvania.