James A Shaw

1860 - 1865 James A Shaw

B& W Edition: While the Civil War commandeered the thoughts and emotions of most Americans and much of the world, and cost the lives of thousands of U. S. citizens, life outside the fields of battle went on with a degree of normalcy in many respects, both here and abroad. This short book provides a snapshot of "What Else Happened" - politically, socially and scientifically - during the American Civil War era.

During the carnage of war, who would have realized that Congress was hard at work passing progressive civil legislation - unrelated to the war - with longstanding impact on life within the United States? Who would have appreciated that thousands of laborers were simultaneously slaving on the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad or building a new roof for the Capitol Building? Who would have known that soldiers were contracting venereal disease in epidemic proportions, women were exploring birth control methods, and alcoholism and opium addiction were afflicting the lives of many?

While Americans were fighting to dissolve the Union, who would have reflected that Canadians were negotiating to strengthen their confederation - in large part to protect themselves from U. S. aggression - or the French were engaged in an imperialistic overthrow of the Mexican Government?

While American ingenuity was devising new and more efficient methods of killing each other, who would have considered that the rest of the world was peacefully admiring the advancements in technology on display at the International Exposition of 1862 in London, England? Or, who would have predicted the enormous impact of kerosene lighting on the quality of life and fortunes of American citizens?

While Atlanta was being burned, who would have stopped to think that Paris was being entirely rebuilt and the Suez Canal was being constructed? While disease and infection were ravaging Civil War soldiers, who would have paused to ponder the great advances in medicine and science that were being made in Europe?

A brief discussion of these and many more topics are included in the book, as well as an introductory chapter outlining the major trigger points leading up to the American Civil War and a short chronology of the war, itself.

Both color (ISBN: 9798586981813) and B& W (ISBN: 9798558270495) versions of the book are available for purchase.