Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
While I am dumping links I've really liked this week, this piece in the Atlantic with contemporaneous quotes from Confederate states makes it pretty clear that the war was about slavery.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/ar ... er/396482/Some bedtime reading for you:
• Mcpherson, James, 'Battle Cry of Freedom'
The standard text on all aspects of the war.
• Dew, Charles. 'Apostles of Disunion'
Examines the activities and speeches of commissioners sent by the earliest seceding states to their neighbours in order to encourage further states to secede. Shorter than the others listed here, and an ideal place to start.
• Foner, Eric, 'The Firey Trial'
Excellent exploration of Lincoln's views on slavery and how he approached the issue throughout his time as president. Very useful for debunking many myths about him and his views on slavery, although for a fuller and more detailed account of his time as president taking in other issues, Doris Kearn Goodwin's 'Team of Rivals' is as good a place to start.
• Freehling, William, 'The Road to Disunion'
2 volumes - 'Secessionists at Bay' and 'Secessionists Triumphant'
Incredibly detailed social and political history of the southern US from the earliest days, gives an amazing flavour of life in the Southern states from the earliest times. The first chapter is a bit odd, but stick with it.
• Levine, Bruce, ‘The Fall of the House of Dixie’
Excellent social and political history of the south. Shorter and easier than the Freehling.
• Radio 3's series on the American Civil War from 2011 is also an excellent introduction, and I have the series on my computer if anyone wants a CD of them, or it can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01063zt • Radio 4’s America: Empire of Liberty gives an easily digestible account of US history and the centrality of slavery to the republic’s woes.
• Yale University have a whole series of lectures that can be downloaded for free:
http://oyc.yale.edu/history/hist-119• The Civil War Trust have a selection of short articles on their website:
http://www.civilwar.org/education/histo ... -overview/I still think the Radio 3 series is one of the best programmes on the war of the slaveholders' rebellion I've come across. Ken Burns's one hasn't aged well.