Civil War Dbq

With decades of brewing tensions between the northern and southern United States over issues including state’s rights versus authority, westward expansion and slavery. All the built up tension between the North and the South exploded into the American Civil War. The election of Republican Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860 caused seven southern states to secede from the Union to form the Confederate States of America; four more joined them after the first shots of the Civil War were fired. They seceded because they thought their way of life was threatened by the elected president. Four years of brutal conflict were marked by historic battles. In the Civil War there was brothers against brothers and neighbors against neighbors who were all

fighting for what they believed was right. Julia Shaw and Edwina Abbott are two sisters who had different beliefs on the Civil War. Julia was on the confederate side and Edwina was a Unionist. They wrote letters to each other during the war that described what was happening in their life with their family. There was differences between the two sisters and their families, but of course there was also some similarities.

One main difference between the two sisters and their families was that they were on opposite sides.

Julia was on the confederate side as aforementioned and Edwina was on the union’s side. In a letter that is dated May 10, 1861 Julia tells Edwina how Eli, her son, went to Nashville to join the Confederate Army. Edwina then in reply sends a letter dated May 25, 1861 that tells Julia of how Henry, Edwina’s son, is thinking about enlisting in the Union. Another disparity between the two sisters is that Julia says in the same letter that dates May 10, 1861 that their cause is just and that rising to fight for their right to live the way they choose is honorable. Edwina doesn’t have the same way as thinking as she says reply to Julia’s letter, “You say this is the honorable path. I am afraid I do not see the honor in leaving one’s country.” One more way the two sister’s differ is that Julia does not mourn the death of Abraham Lincoln as Edwina does. In one of the letters sent by Edwina she says, “How quickly joy turns to sorrow! We are all in mourning for the president.” Julia when sending a letter in reply says, “Though I do not mourn the late president, I am as horrified by his death as you are.” These are just some of the main differences between the two sisters and their families. Though the two families have some differences they also compare in some

ways.

First and foremost one main similarity is that Julia and Edwina hope that Henry and Eli are well even though they are on different sides of the war. For In a letter Edwina says, “I pray no harm comes to Eli.” In another letter Julia says, “I am pleased for you that Henry is home.” Another comparison is that they both are horrified at the news of Abraham Lincoln’s death although Julia doesn’t mourn him. Julia says, “Though I do not mourn the late president, I am as horrified by his death as you are.” This statement goes to show how they both are horrified at the news even though one mourns the president and one doesn’t. One last similarity is that they both want to put the war behind them. In a letter Edwina says, Oh sister, I pray for the day when Henry and Eli are home, safe and sound. Then we two families can bind together again.” One of the letters sent by Julia says, “If we can, let us now try to put the war behind us.”

Overall, there are many similarities and differences between the two families who were divided by their beliefs. The Civil War separated many people and caused a copious amount of deaths. The War Between the States affected many families and the two sisters are an example of the thousands of families who lived during the time of the war.