Civil War

After years of acrimonious disputes, history was made when 11 southern states seceded from the Union, which launched the Civil War. For kids studying this era, this issue brings the battles and heroes of this war to life with vivid descriptions and photos. They’ll spend time learning about how the difference of opinion over slavery and states’ rights, along with the election of Northerner Abraham Lincoln in 1860, ultimately culminated in what is called the first “modern war.” Why modern? This conflict marked the first time generals communicated by telegraph, iron-clad ships filled the waters, and soldiers used trains for transport.

Read about ordinary people – women, children, and ex-slaves – who risked their lives to become heroes during the Civil War. For kids who are more interested in battles, a two-page spread outlines the major skirmishes that turned what many thought would be a “ninety-day-war” into a five-year-long one. Notable leaders from both the North and South are also featured, including well-known figures such as Stonewall Jackson and lesser-known ones like Rose O’Neal – a spy for the South during the Civil War. For kids interested in daily life during this era, anecdotes about how people survived and also supported the war effort from home, along with popular songs of the era, will definitely keep them reading on.

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