April 1865

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews the book "April 1865: The Month that Saved America," by Jay Winik. It describes the way in which the book focuses on just one month in the war, the month when President Lincoln was assassinated and the South surrendered. It also discusses the portraits of the main characters in the war, as described in the book, from Abraham Lincoln to William T. Sherman and Robert E. Lee. It then looks at Winik's view of how the events could have happened differently, with the country unraveling or the government broadly changing as a result.

From the Paper:

"It seems incredible that one month of history could fill up such a large volume, but the author's account of April 1865 is much more than a chronological listing of events. It digs deep into the history of the country and the ideals that led up to the Civil War. For example, the author discusses President Lincoln in depth, but he also discusses Thomas Jefferson in relation to the paradox of his owning slaves while he was contemptuous of the practice. Winik begins the book with a life story of Jefferson and a look at the roots of the nation's independence. He uses this as a footing to base his theories on, which include there was always tension in the nation because since its inception it was never truly united, and so, a rupture between North and South was bound to occur eventually."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Winik, Jay. April 1865: The Month That Saved America. New York: HarperCollins, 2001.

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• Analytical Essay # 30823 : "In Search of April Raintree"

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