A Companion to the Civil War and Reconstruction addresses the key topics and themes of the Civil War era, with 23 original essays by top scholars in the field. * An authoritative volume that surveys the history and historiography of the U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction * Analyzes the major sources and the most influential books and articles in the field * Includes discussions on scholarly advances in U.S. Civil War history.

"A Companion to the Civil War and Reconstruction" is an extraordinary collection of 23 essays addressing the key topics and themes of the most divisive era in United States history. These original essays by top scholars in the field are organized chronologically into three parts: "Sectional Conflict and the Coming of the Civil War," "The Civil War and American Society," and "Reconstruction and the New Nation." Each essay is an interpretive summary of the key literature in the field, and places the topic in historical context. Contributors include bibliographies and suggest future directions of the historiography. This volume provides students, scholars, and informed general readers of Civil War and Reconstruction history with a valuable guide to their research and teaching.