This book covers the pivotal events leading up to, during, and after the war. Beginning with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the secession of southern states from the Union and the bombing of Fort Sumter the country enters into an all out war. A detailed account of each of the major battles is included as well as concise descriptions of key political people, issues and events, including: the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln's assassination, the economy, and the lasting effects of the war upon the former slaves.