The entire point of the Civil War was to end slavery, right? Not exactly, and definitely not at the beginning of the War. The North went to war strictly to save the Union and had little interest in abolishing slavery in the South. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 only came about due to a complex convergence of political, social, and cultural interests, which we will address in this episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Episode 8: Sidetrack Episode on Emancipation

The Civil War was the most important event in American history. That's because it decided what kind of nation America would be and whether or not the promise of universal liberty would be fulfilled. And what decided the outcome of the Civil War was its battles.Hosted by history professors James Early and Scott Rank, this podcast explores the ten most important battles in the Civil War. It features every major conflict, from the initial shots fired at the Battle of First Bull Run to the end of the war at Appomattox Court House. Key battles include Shiloh, the Seven Days Battle, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Vicksburg, Chickamauga & Chattanooga, and the Overland Campaign. James and Scott explore additional topics such as emancipation, the naval wars of the Civil War, and weapons technology. Plus they get deep into the biographical backgrounds of the Union and Confederate generals (Grant, Sherman, McClellan, Thomas, Lee, Jackson, Beauregard, and Longstreet).

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Did you enjoy this series? Then you'll love James Early's new show "Key Battles of American History." Check it out on the podcast player of your choice or go to keybattlesofamericanhistory.com. Listen here to a snippet of his episode where he and a guest discuss the World War One movie "All Quiet on the Western Front." See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Introducing James Early's New Podcast "Key Battles of American History"

In this very final episode, James and Scott discuss the lasting effects of the Civil War and why it is the single most important event in the history of the United States. The Revolutionary War may have answered the question of whether America would become an independent nation, but the Civil War answered the question of what kind of nation it would be. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Episode 22: How the Civil War Lives on Today

In this epilogue episode James and Scott talk about the Union and Confederate generals whom we've gotten to know so well after the war finished. They became presidents, professors, bankrupt businessmen, assassination victims, and everything in between. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Episode 21: What Became of the Men Who Wore the Blue and the Grey

The Civil War is now finished but our series is not. Scott and James discuss an aspect of the Civil War that for the most part didn’t tie into our main discussion: the naval war. Learn how battles occurred on American Rivers, gulfs, shorelines, and even as far away as Alaska. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Episode 20: The Naval War

As the Civil War came to an end, a big question remained for the North and eventually the reunited United States. What would become of its African-American residents? Would they be given full legal rights or only partial? This question was largely answered by the contributions of African-Americans in uniform. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Episode 8: Sidetrack Episode on Emancipation

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