Introduction to Chapter 15
15
THE CRUCIBLE OF WAR
1861–1865[[LP Photo: P15.01 Detail of Battle of Fredericksburg, 1862 – Chapter Opening Image/
> How did the Civil War change the nation, North and South? Chapter 15 traces the course of the Civil War, exploring the connections between events on the battlefield and the political, social, and economic divisions on the home fronts. It explains how the war became a fight for black freedom and examines why the North ultimately won the war.
> Why did both the Union and the Confederacy consider control of the border states crucial?
> Why did each side expect to win?
> How did each side fare in the early years of the war?
> How did the war for union become a fight for black freedom?
> What problems did the Confederacy face at home?
> How did the war affect the economy and politics of the North?
> How did the Union finally win the war?
> Conclusion: In what ways was the Civil War a “Second American Revolution”?
Understanding the American Promise 3ePrinted Page 404