The American Civil War took place over 150 years ago.
The war claimed over 600,000 American lives and its legacy affects the way present-day Americans view civil rights and race relations.
The Civil War stands as an important, watershed event in United States history, which is why, in today’s episode, we will discuss the event with Civil War historian Ari Kelman , author of Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War and the McCabe Greer Professor of History at the Pennsylvania State University.
About the Show
Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.
It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.
Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.
In this episode, we explore the American Civil War in an effort to better understand it. Our guide for this exploration is Ari Kelman, the McCabe Greer Professor of History at the Pennsylvania State University and author of Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War.
During our investigation, Ari reveals how writing a graphic history differs from writing a traditional history book; Details about the day-to-day lives of Union and Confederate soldiers and civilians; And, what life was like in western regions and border states.
What You’ll Discover
- How writing a graphic history differs from writing a traditional history book
- When and how the Civil War began
- The Battle of First Bull Run or First Manassas
- Day-to-day life for Union and Confederate soldiers
- Wartime experiences of African American soldiers
- Leadership of the Union Army
- Ulysses S. Grant and his command
- George B. McClellan and his leadership
- Civilian life in the Confederacy during the Civil War
- Civilian life in Union states during the Civil War
- Life in the Border States of Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri
- The role California and Californians played in the Civil War
- Carpetbaggers and Copperheads
Links to People, Places, and Publications
- Ari Kelman
- Ari’s website
- Ari’s Facebook Page
- Ari Kelman, A River and Its City: The Nature of Landscape in New Orleans
- Ari Kelman, A Misplaced Massacre: Struggling over the Memory of Sand Creek
- Jonathan Fetter-Vorm
- Jonathan Fetter-Vorm, Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb
- James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era
In your opinion, what might have happened if Ulysses S. Grant had not been in charge of the Union’s western campaign in the summer of 1863? Would the Union have captured Vicksburg? Would Sherman have marched to Atlanta? How would the course of the Civil War have been different?
Questions, Comments, Suggestions
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