The definitive reference work on the Civil War, this thorough and wide-ranging volume, rich with over 500 illustrations, 75 maps, and 250 primary source documents, offers more than 1,600 entries that chart the war's strategic aims, analyze diplomatic and political maneuvering, describe key military actions, sketch important participants, assess developments in military science, and discuss the social and financial impact of the conflict. Written by today's leading Civil War scholars, the essays are authoritative and easily accessible to anyone with a passion for American history.