American Civil War For Dummies - Keith D. Dickson

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collective memory and are still relived as we venture back in time. The political dimension drove every aspect of the war and served as the ultimate arbiter of victory or defeat. It was highly complex, forcing political leaders to make exceptionally difficult decisions and to take extraordinary risks. Like all political enterprises, it had its knaves and fools as well as its more noble proponents. The military dimension included supplying the armies, providing the manpower to fill the ranks, and identifying a strategy that would ensure victory. The economic dimension involved retooling existing industries to support war production, inventing new methods, and applying innovative solutions. The diplomatic dimension was a critical battleground in itself as both the Union and the Confederacy sought to engage the European powers, with the Confederacy seeking recognition and military intervention that would assure independence, while the Union sought to deter and dissuade the temptations of any European power to intervene.

      Many books have been written about each of these dimensions, but it is the whole story that continues to attract us and continues to fascinate us. Once you enter into the subject, you are suddenly surrounded with all of its various aspects, all of its emotional power, and all of its often opaque meaning. Trying to sort the story out — to make it meaningful and worthwhile in answering important questions in our own time — is the purpose of this book. By telling the story as completely and succinctly as possible, while keeping everything in perspective, will help you, the reader, to gain a fuller understanding of this critical event in our history and attain a more complete perspective on the larger meaning of past events that continue to shape our destinies as Americans.

      The average person with more than a passing interest in the war has no place to go to gain a broad, general understanding of this crucial period in our history.

      This book is intended to meet the needs of the average reader who wants to be informed without being overwhelmed with details. This book is directed toward several types of readers:

       First, the person who desires accurate, easily accessible information about the major events and issues of the Civil War without encountering intimidating historical narrative or ponderous military interpretation

       Second, the person who may want a refresher on the major events of the war, but who does not want to struggle through the tomes of scholars or arcane minutiae of Civil War fanatics

       Third, those who are looking for a fun, how-to approach to exploring Civil War battlefields to learn more about the events directly by visiting these sites in order to enhance their appreciation and understanding of the events that took place there

      History doesn’t have to be boring or intimidating. Everyone who hates history books will say that they are nothing more than dry lists of names and places and dates and jargon. That’s true enough, in most cases, if you only look that far. Although this is a different kind of history book, it does follow certain conventions found in most history books. This one, like most, is arranged chronologically. Like most history books, too, it tells a story, which has a beginning, a middle, and an end. What is different about this book is that you can start wherever you like. You don’t need to slog through the whole thing from beginning to end to understand what is going on. It is organized so that you, the reader, have maximum flexibility to pick and choose what you want to know. You can jump in at any point and still keep up with the story or select a topic to read in a chapter that interests you. Wherever necessary, terms will be defined for you, or referenced elsewhere for a detailed explanation. Obviously, names, dates, and places are here too, but they are located where you can refer to them if you need to or find them easily if you want.

      Throughout the book you will find text in shaded boxes. These are the nice-to-know, gee whiz!, how about that? bits of information that many Civil War enthusiasts know. These offerings will help make you knowledgeable in conversation and mark you as someone who is not a complete novice.

      What is assumed about this book is that it is easy to read and will hold your interest enough to generate some thinking on your own.

      You will find five icons scattered throughout the chapters. These little pictures next to the text get your attention and point you to useful information:

        Key Players: Seems obvious, but to help you along, some individuals will be highlighted for their actions or decisions. It will work both ways: Some individuals will be singled out for good reasons, others for not so good reasons.

        Remember: A key fact that is worth paying attention to for better understanding or some additional interesting details.

        Technical Stuff: These are military terms you may not be familiar with.

        Tip: This relates to battlefield visits and points out a good idea or the best way to do something to make your visit more enjoyable and useful.

        Turning Point: A turning point is a particularly important action that creates significant changes in the outcome of an event. Watch how the cumulative effects of these turning points shape the outcome of the Civil War.

      You will have free access to the Cheat Sheet by going to the website Dummies.com and typing in “American Civil War Cheat Sheet” in the search box. It will have loads of facts and general information to help you prepare for travel to a battlefield or, because everyone has an opinion or point of view about the Civil War, it will give you a quick checklist to engage in a discussion about various aspects of the war.

      The book itself covers a span of about 15 years, from 1850 to 1865. That time span may seem short, especially for a history book, but these 15 years were as important as any in American history. To help you understand why, the book is organized into seven parts, each dealing with a major theme of the war. The chapters within the parts are organized to take you through the major events of the Civil War, highlighting important facts and points of interest. Each chapter will acquaint you with words and ideas that are important to the entire story. At the end of each section, you’ll find a summary of major points (just to make sure you didn’t miss anything important, or if you skipped through a few chapters) to help you along. There is so much to learn — enjoy the journey!

      The War and Its Causes

      Get a handle on the conditions that were shaping the United States and causing trouble.

      Figure out what a civil war is.

      War! War! War! So much goes into starting one.

      How Did the War Happen?

      IN THIS CHAPTER

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