The Civil War and Reconstruction Eras: Documents Decoded

The carefully selected and edited readings in this book are chronologically arranged so that students can trace the progression of events and understand the thoughts of those living during the critical Civil War and Reconstruction periods. • Provides readers with annotated primary sources that illuminate the causes of the American Civil War, the attempts to resolve these various points of contention, and the aftermath of that costly conflict • Spotlights documents such as Lincoln's first inaugural address, Julia Ward Howe's Battle Hymn of the Republic, the Homestead Act, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, and the Reconstruction Acts, among others • Demonstrates that issues involving race, the scope of national powers, and relations between state and national governments have long been fundamental to American politics • Enables modern readers to comprehend how many current issues have their origins in much earlier periods of U.S. history