Civil War Controversies

I was originally going to do a few more books, but, it has become more and more obvious to me that we need to go in a new direction now, and look more into the Contrevrsities of the Civil War. I plan to do the following:

Lee vs. Grant: Who is the Better One
Sherman: Hero or Monster
Which Side Washington Would Have Been On
Was Hooker Drunk at Chancellorsville
Was the South or North Right
and a couple more.

What Hath God Wrought

To understand the times that transform the United States to the belemoth that broke up during the Civil War, one must understand the times preceding the war. One of the books that most clearly describes such events is What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 by Daniel Walker Howe.

It begins how it ends, on the field of battle. It starts with the British disaster at New Orleans, due to the communication downfall of the time; and ends at a new type of battle, the Sceneca Falls assembly where women began advocating equal rights and abolitsinism. Though the battles were diffrent, it is fair to point out that in both battles, the black man was a part of the issue. ANd both showed the way people viewed them back then. At New Orleans: Jackson offered the black troops 150 acres of land for thier services, but convinently forgot about it and the men were still trying to fight for thier lands. At Seneca Falls: women wants blacks free, but that did not nessecarily mean equal rights.

Howe's books helps show how the country transformed into what it became, allowing it to survive during the Civil War. It also allows us to see what kind of land Grant, Lee, Jackson and Sherman lived in and grew up. This book describes the country of Mexico as a people that were eager to show thier independance from Spanish rule, and determined to hold on thier lands from American interlopers.

In short, this book is an excellant addition to any History buffs library. I wouldn't recommend this book to someone who is wanting a light read or still new to the history profession. Why? 900 pages, 10 size font, and long words. But, for the hard core prosn, or someone who really wants a good read, I highly recommend it.

I rate this book 10 out of 10.

Dear America Diaries

There are several Dear America Diaries that deal with the American Civil War. They're fun to read, but entirely fictional. Most of the writers make up the people of the journals from real experiances people experianced.

Probably the best part of the books if you want info is at the very end. There, they include about a dozen pages of information about the war.

I would recommend this book to people who want to have something to read, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone who really wants to learn about the war.

My rating: 7 out of 10.