Causes of the Civil War: The Differences Between the North and South

By the mid-nineteenth century, two distinct societies had developed in the United States: one industrialized, urban, and relying upon free labor, and the other rural, agrarian, and built upon slave labor. As the nation expanded its territory westward, the differences in the two sections fueled the debate over slavery and its use. Tensions escalated, resulting in the secession of the Southern states and the declaration of war between the Union and the Confederates. In 1861, Americans became engaged in a bloody civil war in which more than 600,000 Americans lost their lives.

The Civil War: A Nation Divided offers a unique perspective on the Civil War, the bloodiest conflict in America's history. Featuring primary source material, each title in this informative new set details a specific topic of life during the war and its immediate aftermath.

By the mid-nineteenth century, two distinct societies had developed in the United States: one industrialized, urban, and relying upon free labor, and the other rural, agrarian, and built upon slave labor. As the nation expanded its territory westward, the differences in the two sections fueled the debate over slavery and its use. Tensions escalated, resulting in the secession of the Southern states and the declaration of war between the Union and the Confederates. In 1861, Americans became engaged in a bloody civil war in which more than 600,000 Americans lost their lives.

The Civil War: A Nation Divided offers a unique perspective on the Civil War, the bloodiest conflict in America's history. Featuring primary source material, each title in this informative new set details a specific topic of life during the war and its immediate aftermath.

School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up—Leaders features Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, and Frederick Douglass. A short biography is followed by a brief description of the individual's part in the Civil War. Causes is especially well written. Its eight chapters outline the economic, social, and political causes of the war. There are careful explanations of the importance of slavery to southern states, nullification and states' rights, the controversy of slavery expanding to western territories, and the impact of Lincoln's election to the presidency in 1860. Both books include many black-and-white and color photographs and reproductions. Though these texts rely upon secondary sources for quotes from individuals, these well-organized volumes are first-rate introductions for students beginning their study of the era, or for those who want a basic review.—Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, IL