Since Lincoln learned, on March 5, that Anderson's troops at Sumter had supplies that would last no longer than mid-April, time became an increasingly weighty consideration for the President. ... By reinforcing the fort, Lincoln had checkmated his Confederate counterpart, who would now have to acquiesce in the permanent presence of a federal garrison in Charleston harbor or else take the responsibility of firing the first shot and firing it to keep food from hungry men. ... Even though some sixty guns stood ready for action, most guns never actually fired a single shot. ...

• Word Count: 639
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

All over the world the modern era is being born that leads to the industrial revolution. In upstate New York, a man made river is cutting through the wilderness. The Erie Canal is born, which is the biggest construction project in the western world in the last 4,000 years. It is over 300 miles long,...

• Word Count: 1311
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

By mid-morning the Confederates seemed within easy reach of victory overrunning one front-line Union division and capturing its camp. ... He was moved to a nearby tree where it was discovered that he had been shot in the back of the leg. ...

• Word Count: 950
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The sectional division between North and South had widened enormously by the mid - 1800's. ... We have hated and persecuted the Negro we have scourged him out of the temple of justice by the Dred Scott decision we have shot and hanged his friends at Harper's Ferry we have enacted laws for his further degradation, and even to expel him from the borders of some of our States we have joined in the infernal chase to hunt him down like a beast, and fling him into the hell of slavery we have repealed and trampled upon laws designed to prevent the spread of slavery and in a thousand ways gi...

• Word Count: 4026
• Approx Pages: 16
• Grade Level: High School