The Routledge Companion to the American Civil War Era

The American Civil War is a defining moment in the history of the United States. At least 600,000 Americans lost their lives in a conflict that merged elements of the Napoleonic era with the technologies of the Machine Age. In this indispensable reference guide, Hugh Tulloch examines the military aspects of the war alongside the political, constitutional, social and economic developments and trends that informed and were in turn informed by the turbulent events that took place during America's nineteenth century. As well as offering a unique examination of the literary and religious aspects of the era, key themes addressed include: emancipation and the quest for racial justice, abolitionism and debates regarding freedom versus slavery, Civil War military strategies, presidential elections and party politics, cultural and intellectual developments, the Confederacy, secession and reconstruction, industrial and agricultural changes.