In a savage battle that pitted brother against brother, more Americans died in the Civil War than in World Wars I and II combined -- 359,000 Union soldiers, 258,000 Confederate soldiers, and thousands of civilians. In the end, however, the United States stood together as one united nation. Defining Moments: The Civil War examines the key events of this devastating war, using a treasury of historical material.

This book includes a chronological overview from 1774-1865 of the events culminating in the most brutal and costly war in American history, beginning in 1774 when Rhode Island abolished slavery. In addition, the key battles are analyzed with a full documentation of the participating units, locations and durations, as well as casualty figures.

This beautifully designed book takes readers back in time with photographs, historical documents, maps, cartoons of the day, and personal correspondence of key figures. The reader will experience the Civil War in amazing detail, from Lincoln's election, the secession of the South, the bloody battlefields, and the surrender of Robert E. Lee, through the Emancipation Proclamation and the Reconstruction.