This is a multiple part documentary movie series on the Civil War by Ken Burns. The coverage is from how the Civil War began to the end of the war. Part one is geared around what happened to get this scenario moving in such a direction and to cause so much mayhem. It begs me to question why the feelings were so hot and completely out of control. How could things be so one sided and inflict so much high feelings of emotion. In the House of Representatives one mans emotions caused him to completely loose control and beat an opponent in the same room violently with his cane. In the aftermath members started coming armed to do the business of the country.
The Civil War is a defining point about who we are as Americans. The population was from small towns and farms and 1 in 7 people were slaves. The declaration of Independence was the true beginning of the division that would cause the Civil War. All men are created equal. The cotton gin made the use of slaves an economic reality for the large farm owners of the south.
As we approach the flashpoint of the war where session and an army against the North is formed begins with a simple book written by H. B. Stowe, Uncle Toms Cabin. This book rallied the emotions of abolitionist all over the world against slavery. Then the meteor that lit the fire was Jon Brown who attacked Harpers Ferry in 1859 and was subsequently captured by the Union General Robert E. Lee. The election of Abraham Lincoln with only 40% of the vote put session in full motion. Then in 1861 Fort Sumter was bombarded and the army located in its walls surrendered and the Civil War began.
The first part was very informative and a moving documentary and I would recommend any western reader or western person who wanted to better understand how the problems of the west came about and how the people of the west were truly molded into their unique form came to be how they were.
