About the book
The Civil War thrust Americans onto unfamiliar terrain, as two competing societies mobilized for four years of bloody conflict. Concerned Northerners turned to the print media for guidance on how to be good citizens in a war that hit close to home but was fought hundreds of miles away. They read novels, short stories, poems, songs, editorials, and newspaper stories. They laughed at cartoons and satirical essays. Their spirits were stirred in response to recruiting broadsides and patriotic envelopes. This massive cultural outpouring offered a path for ordinary Americans casting around for direction.
Examining the breadth of Northern popular culture, J. Matthew Gallman offers a dramatic reconsideration of how the Union’s civilians understood the meaning of duty and citizenship in wartime. Although a huge percentage of military-aged men served in the Union army, a larger group chose to stay home, even while they supported the war. This pathbreaking study investigates how men and women, both white and black, understood their roles in the People’s Conflict. Wartime culture created humorous and angry stereotypes ridiculing the nation’s cowards, crooks, and fools, while wrestling with the challenges faced by ordinary Americans. Gallman shows how thousands of authors, artists, and readers together created a new set of rules for navigating life in a nation at war.
Editions of Defining Duty in the Civil War
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469620992
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469633411
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469623184
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469621005
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890842800
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890842794
Read an Excerpt
The Civil War thrust Americans onto unfamiliar terrain, as two competing societies mobilized for four years of bloody conflict. Concerned Northerners turned to the print media for guidance on how to be good citizens in a war that hit close to home but was fought hundreds of miles away. They read novels, short stories, poems, songs, editorials, and newspaper stories. They laughed at cartoons and satirical essays. Their spirits were stirred in response to recruiting broadsides and patriotic envelopes. This massive cultural outpouring offered a path for ordinary Americans casting around for direction.
Examining the breadth of Northern popular culture, J. Matthew Gallman offers a dramatic reconsideration of how the Union’s civilians understood the meaning of duty and citizenship in wartime. Although a huge percentage of military-aged men served in the Union army, a larger group chose to stay home, even while they supported the war. This pathbreaking study investigates how men and women, both white and black, understood their roles in the People’s Conflict. Wartime culture created humorous and angry stereotypes ridiculing the nation’s cowards, crooks, and fools, while wrestling with the challenges faced by ordinary Americans. Gallman shows how thousands of authors, artists, and readers together created a new set of rules for navigating life in a nation at war.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Defining Duty in the Civil War about?
The Civil War thrust Americans onto unfamiliar terrain, as two competing societies mobilized for four years of bloody conflict. Concerned Northerners turned to the print media for guidance on how to be good citizens in a war that hit close to home but was fought hundreds of miles away. They read novels, short stories, poems, songs, editorials, and newspaper stories. They laughed at cartoons and satirical essays. Their spirits were stirred in response to recruiting broadsides and patriotic envelopes. This massive cultural outpouring offered a path for ordinary Americans casting around for direction.
Examining the breadth of Northern popular culture, J. Matthew Gallman offers a dramatic reconsideration of how the Union’s civilians understood the meaning of duty and citizenship in wartime. Although a huge percentage of military-aged men served in the Union army, a larger group chose to stay home, even while they supported the war. This pathbreaking study investigates how men and women, both white and black, understood their roles in the People’s Conflict. Wartime culture created humorous and angry stereotypes ridiculing the nation’s cowards, crooks, and fools, while wrestling with the challenges faced by ordinary Americans. Gallman shows how thousands of authors, artists, and readers together created a new set of rules for navigating life in a nation at war.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Defining Duty in the Civil War?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of Defining Duty in the Civil War?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469620992
How long is Defining Duty in the Civil War and how many pages does it have?
Defining Duty in the Civil War has 336 page(s)
Is Defining Duty in the Civil War part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Civil War America
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Defining Duty in the Civil War?
J. Matthew Gallman
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Defining Duty in the Civil War is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469620992) and paperback(ISBN 9781469633411) and ebook(ISBN 9781469623184) and ebook(ISBN 9781469621005) and ebook(ISBN 9798890842800) and pdf(ISBN 9798890842794)
Where can I buy Defining Duty in the Civil War online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Defining Duty in the Civil War from below
Where can I buy Defining Duty in the Civil War?