the complete idiot’s guide to u.s. history, graphic illustrated66

Lincoln made sure theydidn’t die in vain.

four score and seven

years ago our fathers brought

forth on this continent a new nation,

conceived in liberty, and dedicated to

the proposition that all men

are created equal.

now we are engaged in a great

civil war, testing whether that nation, or

any nation, so conceived and so dedicated,

can long endure. we are met on a great

battle-field of that war. we have come to

dedicate a portion of that field, as a final

resting place for those who here gave

their lives that that nation might live. it

is altogether fitting and proper

that we should do this.

but, in a larger sense,we can not dedicate -- we can not

consecrate -- we can not hallow -- thisground. the brave men, living and dead,

who struggled here, have consecrated it, farabove our poor power to add or detract. theworld will little note, nor long rememberwhat we say here, but it can never forgetwhat they did here. it is for us the living,

rather, to be dedicated here to theunfinished work which they who

fought here have thus farso nobly advanced.

it is rather for us to behere dedicated to the great task

remaining before us -- that from thesehonored dead we take increased devotion

to that cause for which they gave the lastfull measure of devotion -- that we here highly

resolve that these dead shall not have diedin vain -- that this nation, under God, shall

have a new birth of freedom -- and thatgovernment of the people, by the people,

for the people, shall not perishfrom the earth.

part two: a house divided 1815-1865 67

Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamationdid allow blacks to enlist in the UnionArmy. Almost 200,000 did just that.

The North used black troops. TheSouth wouldn’t. The North had amillion immigrants during the war.The South had a blockaded coastline.

The Confederacy tried to break the blockadewith an ironclad ship. The North trumpedthat with their own.

The Civil War was turninginto the first modern war.

Troops traveled by railroad.

Orders traveled by telegraph.

And on the road to Richmond,nothing traveled at all. Trenchwarfare was being invented, too.

The Civil War had allmodern conveniences.Mass conscription,mass media …

… and masstaxation.

\’ve got

an idea -- let’s

have a war to end

slavery!

\ like the

way you think,

brother.

which of

us is the

MONITOR?

\’m the

MERRIMACK--

\ mean, the

VIRGINIA.

\ thought

| was the

MERRIMACK.

everyone say

“technology!”

“over the side,

boys!” hmmm. no.

“up to the top!”

no, not quite…

filthy

rioting scum

hate freedom.

it’s

unconstitutional!

\’ll start a riot!

DAMMIT …

MCCLELLAN …

MOVE …

YOUR …

LAZY …

the complete idiot’s guide to u.s. history, graphic illustrated68

In 1864, Grant put his friendWilliam Tecumseh Shermanin charge of bringing modernwar to the Deep South.

While Grant tried to bringthe fight to Robert E. Lee.

Grant steadily forced Lee southward –but at a steadily rising price.

The Democrats, at least, were tired ofpaying that price. They proposed anarmistice at their 1864 convention, andnominated General McClellan as theircandidate for president.

To his credit, McClellan was as slow to fight for surrender ashe was to fight for victory.

Then Shermantook Atlanta.

And General Sheridancleared out theShenandoah Valley.

And the voters decidedthey weren’t quite readyto quit just yet.

The soldiers weren’t, either – over 70% of the army voted for Lincoln.

you cannot qualify

war in harsher terms than \

will. war is cruelty, and you

cannot refine it; and those who

brought war into our country

deserve all the curses and

maledictions a people can

pour out.

don’t you

think it sends

kind of a mixed

message?

who has

more experience

not fighting the

civil war than

he does?

the union

is the one condition

of peace. we ask

no more.

THREE

good yankee

generals?

unfair!

part two: a house divided 1815-1865 69

Sherman kept marching throughGeorgia, reached the sea, and thenturned north into South Carolina.

Grant just kept the pressure on. When Sheridan’smen joined Grant’s forces in March, Lee was caughtin a trap. He surrendered at Appomattox CourtHouse on April 9, 1865.

The Civil War was over.600,000 men were dead.And the South had lost.

the complete idiot’s guide to u.s. history, graphic illustrated70

But John Wilkes Booth, America’smost famous actor, had a planto reverse the defeat.

Lewis Powell botchedthe killing of Seward.

Instead of killing Johnson,George Atzerodt just gotdrunk and wandered off.

The Confederacy stilldied in flames.

So did Booth.

And Abraham Lincolnbelonged to the ages.

It didn’t workout that way.

… LEWIS will repay

SEWARD in blood, and

GEORGE will heroically

assassinate vice president

JOHNSON. And thus

inspired, the south

shall rise AGAIN!

SIC

SEMPER

TYRANNIS!

O WWW

how about

that? this neck

brace WAS good for

my health!keep it

down, mac.

you’ll wake

him up.

lemme tell

ya, shome one

HIC oughta kill

the VISHE PREZDET

HIC