1st Edition

The Civil War Era and Reconstruction An Encyclopedia of Social, Political, Cultural and Economic History

    The encyclopedia takes a broad, multidisciplinary approach to the history of the period. It includes general and specific entries on politics and business, labor, industry, agriculture, education and youth, law and legislative affairs, literature, music, the performing and visual arts, health and medicine, science and technology, exploration, life on the Western frontier, family life, slave life, Native American life, women, and more than a hundred influential individuals.

    Topic Finder, Acknowledgments, Preface, Maps, Overview Essays, A—Z Entries, Chronology, Documents, Glossary, Bibliography, Index

    Biography

    Mary Ellen Snodgrass

    Although the number of reference works coming out to commemorate the anniversary of the American Civil War is approaching critical mass, this handy reference shifts our attention from pivotal battles and renowned generals to the more nonmartial concerns of a nation torn asunder by a devastating conflict. What emerges is an exceptional resource that challenges us to reexamine the dominant paradigm. Volume 1 begins with four prefatory essays that go a long way in setting up the overall scheme of the set by canvassing the topics of “Politics and Government”; “Economy, Business, and Industry”; “Foreign Affairs”; and “Family, Community, and Society.” Drawn from both sides of the conflict, the alphabetically arranged entries represent a diversity of topics, from the home front and beyond, with an emphasis on social concerns, philosophical outlooks, and economic innovations.Each entry is fluidly written and efficient in coverage, ranging in length from a couple of columns for people and events to several pages for more general terms such as Labor and labor unions, and concludes with a handful of titles for further research. Examples of entries are Alexander Graham Bell, Catholicism, Diseases and epidemics, Railroads, and Utah Territory. Volume 2 contains a selection of well-chosen primary documents that include Jefferson Davis’ first inaugural address, the Homestead Act (1862), and an excerpt from Mark Twain’s Roughing It. Each document is introduced with a concise preface that both establishes context and provides brief analysis. Also included is a nine-page chronology, a glossary of pertinent terms, and an unfortunately uncategorized bibliography. A small assortment of black-and-white photos, illustrations, cartoons, charts, and maps are scattered throughout the text.Snodgrass has succeeded in producing a work whose unique focus and even scholarship separate it from an increasingly crowded field. Recommended for high-school and undergraduate collections. --Brian Odom, Booklist