The outbreak of the Civil War was not a sudden event, but rather the end result of growing sectional tension between the North and South over slavery and political power. The chapter in this module, by Mark E. Neely, Jr., discusses the roots of the sectional crisis and the escalating violence that culminated in South Carolina’s secession following Abraham Lincoln’s election to the presidency. Following the bombardment of Fort Sumter, both sides entered the war with outsized expectations of their capabilities and an underestimation of their counterpart’s resolve. These expectations took a significant hit during the early, indecisive clashes at First Bull Run and Shiloh. This module includes: - Interactive widgets that discuss the infantry tactics, music, and soldier equipment of the Civil War; - Highlighted images that discuss grand strategy, economic change, and new developments in weaponry; - Map overlays highlighting the different challenges both sides faced across the war’s eastern and western theaters; - An animated map of Grant’s early decisive thrust at Forts Henry and Donelson; - Data visualization widgets showing the expansion of slavery in American history, the electoral contest of 1860, and the distribution of population at the outbreak of war; - Detailed national maps showing the divisive political situation of the 1850s; - Richly colored maps depicting some of the first battles at First Bull Run and Shiloh; and - Biographies of key political and military figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Pierre Beauregard.
