The Divided Nation: How Economic Disparity and Slavery Led to the Brink of Civil War (1860)

The American Civil War was a pivotal moment in the nation's history, marked by a great divide between the North and South over the institution of slavery. The South, with its vast plantations and slave-driven economy, found itself at odds with the rapidly industrializing North. As the war progressed, the South's reliance on slave labor became increasingly unsustainable, and the institution of slavery began to crumble.

The "general strike" of the slaves, where they withdrew their labor from the Confederacy and transferred it to the Union, was a turning point in the war. Thousands of enslaved people fled to Union lines, seeking refuge and freedom. They found roles as laborers, servants, and even spies for the Union army, providing crucial intelligence and labor.

The Union army, initially reluctant to involve the enslaved in the war effort, soon realized the potential of these individuals. They were not just laborers but potential soldiers, and their service was a powerful symbol of the changing nature of the conflict. The experiences of the Union army with the refugees and the establishment of departments of Negro affairs laid the groundwork for the Reconstruction period that followed the war.

The freedmen's strike against the plantation system was a significant phenomenon, marked by a quiet yet determined movement. Enslaved people left the plantations en masse, seeking better conditions and true freedom. Their actions not only changed the course of the war but also laid the groundwork for the ongoing struggle for civil rights and equality in America.