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CivilWar.com is divided into 11 sections. Each section subdivides into categories to bring the information to you with a minimal number of clicks and browsing, in a logical, concise manner.
The Overview section is designed to present a quick look at the war in general. The causes of the war, a summary of the war, a look at the life of a soldier and the timeline of events are the primary content here. More in depth information may be found in the other sections.
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Causes
Nearly 150 years have passed since the largest armed conflict on American soil began. Yet the reasons for what began as political disputes errupting in what eventually became a "Total War" are still hotly debated.
Partisans from each side of the conflict, then as now, have provided reasons for the Civil War which are contradictory.
This section does not attempt to resolve the differences. What you will find here are the reasons given by both sides. An understanding of the Civil War, in our opinion, is obtained through understanding the societal influences of patriotism, human rights, economics, religion and politics in America in the early to mid 1800's. The primal emotions leading to war were therefore rooted in the differences of opinion and belief between North and South with respect to those influences.
The root causes of the Civil War can be broken down into States Rights, Slavery, Political and Economic considerations. Slavery, while listed as a separate cause, had significant influence on the other three. An understanding of the above influences of the time will reveal, however, that slavery, while factoring into the various causes in different degrees, should not be considered the sole cause of the Civil War.
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Soldier Life in the Civil War
content provided by the national park service www.nps.gov
author: John Heiser - Gettysburg National Military Park - May 1, 1998
The life of a soldier in the 1860's was difficult and for the thousands of young Americans who left home to fight for their cause, it was an experience none of them would ever forget. Military service meant many months away from home and loved ones, long hours of drill, often inadequate food or shelter, disease, and many days spent marching on hot, dusty roads or in a driving rainstorm burdened with everything a man needed to be a soldier as well as baggage enough to make his life as comfortable as possible. There were long stretches of boredom in camp interspersed with moments of sheer terror experienced on the battlefield. For these civilians turned soldiers, it was very difficult to get used to the rigors and demands of army life.
Use the links below to explore the life of soldiers in the American Civil War.
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Abolition and Slavery
The documents linked provide an overview of Slavery in the United States prior to the Civil War. This is an overview of documents on the subject. For more detail on this topic, explore the section on Slavery from the Main Menu, as well as the Resources.
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Weapons
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