James M. Mcpherson An American Civil War Essay - 1397 Words

James M. McPherson: James McPherson was born on October 11th 1936, he is an American Civil War historian. He received the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Battle Cry of Freedom, his most famous book. McPherson was the president of the American Historical Association in 2003, and is a member of the editorial board of Encyclopedia Britannica. In his early career McPherson wanted to leave a legacy as being known for the historian who focusses on more than one point. Through skillful narrative in a broad-ranging oeuvre of essays and books, McPherson has succeeded in telling both stories, combining social, political, and military history to reach a broad scholarly and popular audience, emphasizing all the while that the Civil War constituted a â€Å"second American Revolution.† Examining thousands of letters and diaries written by soldiers to gather a better insight and understanding, McPherson argued that deep political and ideological convictions about liberty, slavery, religion, and nation were the fundamen tal reasons that men on both sides enlisted and fought. McPherson’s views on the Civil War are broad in comparison to many other writers, he believes there are multiple causes to the war but that the underlying cause was slavery and that Southern states used the saying â€Å"States’ Rights† to justify their actions of slavery and secession. It became a psychological necessity for the South to deny that the war was about slavery that they were fighting for the preservation, defense andShow MoreRelatedThe American Civil War, By James M. Mcpherson1045 Words   |  5 Pagesformer,† wrote James M. McPherson in 1995.   â€Å"Why couldn’t I be both?† McPherson responded. â€Å"Surely it is possible to say something of value to fellow professionals while at the same time engaging a wider audience.† McPherson is indeed both.   In a career that has spanned four decades and garnered many of the historical profession’s top accolades, i ncluding a Pulitzer Prize, two Lincoln Prizes, the NEH’s Jefferson Lectureship in the Humanities, and a term as the president of the American Historical AssociationRead MoreThe Civil War: The Second American Revolution? Essay examples1083 Words   |  5 PagesThe Civil War has been described as one of the most important occurrences in the life of the United States. It was period in time when the United States was no longer united, but instead was split between the north and south due to the ongoing feud over of the legal standing of slavery nationwide. For four years, many people were subjected to horrific measures, especially the soldiers that participated in combat. Despite the brutality of battle, soldiers experienced a numerous amount of daily hardshipsRead MoreBattle Cry Of Freedom By James M. Mcpherson1244 Words   |  5 Pageshis book Battle Cry of Freedom, James M. McPherson, is a great american civil war historian. Born in Valley City, North Dakota on October 1 1, 1936 McPherson attended St. Peter High School. After graduation he attended Gustavus Adolphus College and in 1958 earned his bachelor’s degree with Magnum Cum Laude. He later attended John Hopkins University and earned his Ph.D. in 1963 and is now currently working as Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. McPherson is most well known for his workRead MoreEssay on What They Fought for708 Words   |  3 PagesWhat They Fought For 1861 - 1865 This book was a good analysis of Civil War soldiers diaries, and letters to their loved ones. Which explains what they were going through in their lives and what they fought for and risked their lives for in this conflict. In the book the author James M. McPherson uses information from l00s of diaries and letters from the soldiers to learn why they fought in this war. The Union soldiers fought to preserve the Nation that was created in 1776, to save itRead MoreHow A Soldier Can Fight And Kill People From His Own Country1562 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Civil War was gruesome war that was fought between a country divided. Abraham Lincoln once said â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand.† Even though we were all brought together as one nation, these two sides were polarized by their environment and beliefs. This war that tore apart a country, costed more than six hundred thousand lives. The Civil War altered history and is still relevant in the present. A bi g question people have today is how a soldier can fight and kill peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Crossroads Of Freedom By James M. Mcpherson1167 Words   |  5 PagesEssay Two The book Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam, was written by James M. McPherson to argue why the Battle of Antietam was the battle that changed the cause of the Civil War. While McPherson argued this he also argues that the Civil War had many other turning points and was not settled by just one battle. McPherson’s targeted audience would have to be those interested in the Civil War and the events that led to it. McPherson wrote this great book which came to be an important contribution toRead MoreWhat They Fought For By James M. Mcpherson880 Words   |  4 Pages150 years, the Civil War had been the bloodiest war in the American history, also known as â€Å"The War Between the States† or â€Å"Brother Against Brother†, it was fought between the Union or the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. The war lasted four years from 1861 to 1865. What motivated these men to fight and what is the cause of the Civil War is a subject that many histor ians tried to find out. The book â€Å"What They Fought For† by the author James M. McPherson focuses moreRead MoreWho Freed the Slaves871 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Who Freed the Slaves The long standing question of â€Å"who freed the slaves† has been under debate since the conclusion of the Civil War. One side of the argument takes the more obvious claim that emancipation came at the hand of the great Abraham Lincoln. The other side of the argument claims that the Slaves themselves attained their freedom. Both sides have been heavily researched and strongly supported with many facts. Do we give credit to one person for generating the political backing andRead MoreComparative Analysis of Research Articles on Slavery1451 Words   |  6 Pagesthe freeing of slaves in the Civil War era. Two historians, James M. McPherson and Ira Berlin, respectfully express their contrasting views over these topics in this assignment. While I absolutely agree that the slaves in the Civil War era played a pivotal role in emancipating themselves and securing their civil liberties, it was unequivocally the actions of President Lincoln that led to their eventual freedom. McPherson, a professor at Princeton University and Civil War historian, describes in hisRead MoreAbraham Lincoln And The Second American Revolution957 Words   |  4 PagesMacPherson, James, Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution â€Å"Abraham Lincoln and The Second American Revolution†, written by James M. McPherson, one of America’s historians. McPherson has also written,† Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era†, â€Å"Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief†, â€Å"Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam† and many other history related books. â€Å"Abraham Lincoln and The Second American Revolution† consists of seven essays throughout on important themes in American history