The American Civil War & its origins 1848-1865 (3rd ed)

The new editions of Access to History combine all the strengths of this well-loved series with a new design and features that allow all students access to the content and study skills needed to achieve exam success.This third edition combines two popular Access to History titles on the American Civil War to provide complete coverage of the lead up to war and its course.

The first part of the book focuses on the nature of slavery, the build up of sectional tension in the period 1848-1856 and the subsequent rise of the Republican Party.

It then goes on to examine the course of the Civil War in depth - including the detailed descriptions of key battles of the war, as well as looking at the war on the home front and the effectiveness of the Confederate and Union war governments.

It concludes by analysing the nature of the outcome of the war - was it a Union victory or a Confederate defeat?Throughout the book key dates, terms and issues are highlighted, and historical interpretations of key debates are outlined.Summary diagrams are included to consolidate knowledge and understanding of the period, and exam style questions and tips for each examination board provide the opportunity to develop exam skills.