A Nation Divided: Causes of the Civil War. (Understanding the Civil War). Jeff Putnam. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2012. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $11.95 (pbk.), $21.56 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-5354-4 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-5337-7 (RLB.). Subject Headings: United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Causes-Juvenile literature. United States-Politics and government-1849-1861-Juvenile literature. Grades 5 8 / Ages 10 13. Review by Sherry Faller. ** /4
	The Civil War Begins. (Understanding the Civil War). Jane H. Gould. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2012. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $11.95 (pbk.), $21.56 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-5355-1 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-5338-4 (RLB.). Subject Heading: United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Campaigns-Juvenile literature. Grades 5 8 / Ages 10 13. Review by Sherry Faller. ** /4
	Life on a Civil War Battlefield. (Understanding the Civil War). J. Matteson Claus. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2012. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $11.95 (pbk.), $21.56 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-5357-5 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-5340-7 (RLB.). Subject Heading: United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Social aspects-Juvenile literature. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Sherry Faller. ** /4
	Turning Point Battles of the Civil War. (Understanding the Civil War). Sandra J. Hiller St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2012. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $11.95 (pbk.), $21.56 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-5360-5 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-5343-8 (RLB.). Subject Heading: United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Campaigns-Juvenile literature. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Sherry Faller. ** /4
	Final Campaigns of the Civil War. (Understanding the Civil War). Cinci Stowell. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2012. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $11.95 (pbk.), $21.56 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-5356-8 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-5339-1 (RLB.). Subject Heading: United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Campaigns-Juvenile literature. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Sherry Faller. ** /4
	Reconstruction and the Aftermath of the Civil war. (Understanding the Civil War). Lisa Colozza Cocca. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2012. 48 pp., pbk. & hc., $11.95 (pbk.), $21.56 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-5358-2 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-5341-4 (RLB.). Subject Headings: Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)-Juvenile literature. United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Influence-Juvenile literature. United States-History-1865-1898-Juvenile literature. Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Sherry Faller. ** /4

excerpt:

The North entered the war with one goal: to preserve the Union. The common view in the North was that secession was illegal and the Confederate states were in rebellion. The rebellion had to be put down to preserve the Union. The southern states, on the other hand, were fighting for the state’s rights and to preserve their slave based economy. As long as battles were fought in the South, Confederate soldiers were fighting for their homes. As the war progressed, Southern slaves provided labor for the Confederate war effort. Slaves worked the fields while the masters fought. By July of 1862, Lincoln had decided that abolition was an important military goal. Abolition changed the focus of the war. When the Union's’goals included ending slavery, foreign nations such as England and France were less likely to support the South. (From Turning Points of the Civil War.)

The “Understanding the Civil War” series is designed to explain the reasons for the American Civil War, the political strife it created for the developing nation and how it pitted not just the North against the South, but brother against brother. From the US’s beginning, Americans in many states had slaves. Africans were enslaved, destined to work their entire lives on a master’s plantation. Future generations were also destined to be slaves. As America grew and more people immigrated into the northern states, the very idea of owning another human being became a topic of fierce disagreement.

     A Nation Divided: Causes of the Civil War discusses the differences in the values, politics and cultures between the northern and southern states, in particular the use of slaves that caused the dissections and eventually the war.

     In The Civil War Begins, both sides are reluctant to be the first to go to war, and, after much jockeying and blustering on both sides, Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor was attacked and the war began. The southern states tried to secede from the Union while the North declared they had no right to do so.

     Life on a Civil War Battlefield graphically described how soldiers lived and died. Camp conditions caused far more deaths due to disease than did actual battle. Readers would be interested in the pictures of war weapons and insignias as well as the inventions used, like the first submarine and the telegraph. The eventual use of slaves as soldiers and women as nurses is well documented in this book.

     The Turning Point Battles of the Civil War documents the battles at Antietam and Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Chickamauga and Chattanooga in detail, relaying the politics and results.

     Final Campaigns of the Civil War tells of the final battles of Grant and Sherman and the final surrender of the South by General Lee.

     Reconstruction and the Aftermath of the Civil War relates the cost of the war, both human and monetary. Emancipation of the slaves began, and amnesty was granted to most Confederate soldiers. The Union proceeded to rebuild the Southern states, and attempts were made to amend the American Constitution.

     Two other books in the series, but not included in this review, are Life on the Home Front During the Civil War and Great Leaders of the Civil War.

     The books all include a table of contents page, glossary, index and a list of additional books and websites to visit. All facts are well researched, and the text flows, making easy reading. However, some content is repetitive, perhaps in the author’s attempt to make each book stand alone. Photos, drawings, maps, quotes and additional excerpts from other authors attempt to provide a few breaks in the long passages of text.

     Though obviously created for an American audience, in Canada the books would be enjoyed by history buffs and perhaps adults interested in the American Civil War and early politics. The series might be used as an auxiliary resource for high school American history studies in Canadian schools.

Recommended with reservations.

Sherry Faller is a teacher librarian in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

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