Turning Points - Actual and Alternate Histories: A House Divided during the Civil War Era PDF
Preview Turning Points - Actual and Alternate Histories: A House Divided during the Civil War Era
TUR NI NG P OI NTS—ACTUAL AND ALTER NATE HI STOR I ES A House Divided during the Civil War Era Other titles in ABC-CLIO’s TURNING POINTS—ACTUAL AND ALTERNATE HISTORIES series Native America from Prehistory to First Contact Colonial America from Settlement to the Revolution Manifest Density and the Expansion of America America in Revolt during the 1960s and 1970s The Reagan Era Books in the Turning Points—Actual and Alternate Histories series ask the question What would have happened if . . . ? In a unique editorial format, each book examines a specific period in American history, pres- ents the real, or actual, history, and then offers an alternate history— speculations from historical experts on what might have happened had the course of history turned. If a particular event had turned out differently, history from that turning point forward could be affected. Important outcomes frequently hinge on an individual decision, an accidental encounter, a turn in the weather, the spread of a disease, or a missed piece of information. Such events stimulate our imagination, accentuating the role of luck, chance, and individual decision or character at particular moments in time. The examination of such key turning points is one of the reasons that the study of history is so fascinating. For the student, examining alternate histories springing from turning points and exploring, What would have happened if . . . ? gives insight into many of the questions at the heart of our civilization today. T U R N I N G P O I N T S — A C T U A L A N D A L T E R N A T E H I S T O R I E S A House Divided during the Civil War Era Rodney P.Carlisle and J.Geoffrey Golson,Editors Santa Barbara,California Denver,Colorado Oxford,England Copyright 2007 by ABC-CLIO, Inc. All rights re s e rved. No part of this publication may be re p roduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechan- ical, photocopying, re c o rding, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quo- tations in a re v i e w, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A house divided during the Civil War era / Rodney P. Carlisle and J. Geoffrey Golson, editors. p. cm. — (Turning points-actual and alternate histories series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-10: 1-85109-881-X (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN-10:1-85109-882-8 (ebook) ISBN-13: 978-1-85109-881-1 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN-13: 978-1-85109-882-8 (ebook) 1. United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865. 2. Imaginary histories. I. Carlisle, Rodney P. II. Golson, J. Geoffrey. E468.9.H8 2007 973.7—dc22 2006038652 11 10 09 08 07 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ISBN-13: 978-1-85109-881-1 (ebook) 978-1-85109-882-8 ISBN-10: 1-85109-881-X (ebook) 1-85109-882-8 Production Editor: Kristine Swift Editorial Assistant: Sara Springer Production Manager: Don Schmidt Media Production Coordinator: Ellen Brenna Dougherty Media Resources Manager: Caroline Price File Manager: Paula Gerard Text design: Devenish Design This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an ebook. Visit http://www.abc-clio.com for details. ABC-CLIO, Inc. 130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911 Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911 This book is printed on acid-free paper Manufactured in the United States of America Contents Contributors xi Introduction xiii 1 John Brown’s Raid 1 TURNING POINT John Brown’s attack in 1859 was a prelude to the Civil War.What if the raid had been supported by former slave Frederick Douglass and his followers? Introduction 1 Turning Point 3 Actual History 6 Alternate History 12 Discussion Questions 16 Bibliography and Further Reading 16 2 Confederate States of America 19 TURNING POINT During the Civil War the Confederates sought support from European powers,which never came.What if the Europeans had allied themselves with the Southern cause? Introduction 19 Turning Point 21 Actual History 22 Alternate History 27 Discussion Questions 39 Bibliography and Further Reading 39 3 First Battle of Bull Run 41 TURNING POINT In 1861 the North suffered a major defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run. What if the North had better trained troops and had defeated the South? viii CO N T E N TS Introduction 41 Turning Point 43 Actual History 45 Alternate History 50 Discussion Questions 55 Bibliography and Further Reading 55 4 Battle of Antietam 57 TURNING POINT In 1862 the South suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of Antietam. What if Confederate General Robert E.Lee’s forces had won the battle? Introduction 57 Turning Point 60 Actual History 63 Alternate History 66 Discussion Questions 70 Bibliography and Further Reading 70 5 Emancipation Proclamation 73 TURNING POINT The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1,1863.What if President Abraham Lincoln had taken the advice to delay the proclamation? Introduction 73 Turning Point 77 Actual History 80 Alternate History 85 Discussion Questions 87 Bibliography and Further Reading 88 6 Battle of Gettysburg 89 TURNING POINT In 1863 the North was victorious at the Battle of Gettysburg.What if the Southern forces had defeated Union General George Meade? Introduction 89 Turning Point 92 Actual History 95 Alternate History 101 Discussion Questions 105 Bibliography and Further Reading 106 7 Sherman’s March to the Sea 109 TURNING POINT In 1864 Union General William T.Sherman devastated Georgia in his “march to the sea.”What if Confederate forces had counterattacked and ambushed Sherman’s troops? CO N T E N TS ix Introduction 109 Turning Point 111 Actual History 112 Alternate History 118 Discussion Questions 123 Bibliography and Further Reading 123 8 Lincoln Assassination 125 TURNING POINT On April 14,1865,President Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford’sTheatre. What if assassin John Wilkes Booth had not pulled the trigger and Lincoln served a full second term? Introduction 125 Turning Point 131 Actual History 132 Alternate History 137 Discussion Questions 141 Bibliography and Further Reading 141 9 Thirteenth Amendment 143 TURNING POINT Proposed in 1865,the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery.What if the amendment was not ratified and slaverywas only partially abolished? Introduction 143 Turning Point 146 Actual History 149 Alternate History 155 Discussion Questions 160 Bibliography and Further Reading 160 10 Reconstruction 163 TURNING POINT Reconstruction after the Civil War was a tumultuous time for the re-emerging United States.What if President Andrew Johnson had been more successful in his Reconstruction plans? Introduction 163 Turning Point 167 Actual History 168 Alternate History 176 Discussion Questions 182 Bibliography and Further Reading 183 11 Johnson’s Impeachment 185 TURNING POINT In 1868 Congress impeached but did not convict President Andrew Johnson.What would have happened to presidential power had Congress not impeached Johnson?
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