Hey everyone, welcome to the very first episode of our Civil War podcast.

I'm Rich and I'm Tracy. Hello y'all. Welcome to the podcast on July 4th, 1860 Americans at home and

abroad sang patriotic songs, marched in parades, recited the Declaration of Independence and raised

glasses to toast the 84th birthday of the United States of America. 84 years wasn't very long when

compared to the centuries-old stories of some European nations, but nonetheless Americans were

proud of their country's short but dramatic history and of its place in the world. The nation

was an unprecedented, if far from perfect, democratic republic, established by people determined

to forge a future unspoiled by the tyrannies of the past. Yet only months after those wonderful

independent state celebrations, the states of the deep south began succeeding from the union,

and by February 1861, the American experiment in representative government

teetered on the verge of failure. The resulting Civil War fought through four

April's between 1861 and 1865 would become, we think, the defining event in American history.

Even today, a unifying thread woven throughout the fabric of America is our compelling need to

remember the Civil War. Even today, the war seems somehow a part of us. American history continues

to move forward, and one might expect the Civil War to fade into the past, yet it shows no

sign of doing so. As Americans, the Civil War is one of those subjects we both care about,

and feel we should care about. The United States has gone on to celebrate over 150

birthdays since the end of the Civil War in 1865, and each year of the country's existence

brings remarkable accomplishments and formidable challenges. And those of us who love history

understand that each challenge highlights the importance of moving into the future,

armed with the best possible understanding of the past. As Abraham Lincoln said during the

first year of the Civil War, quote, the struggle of today is not altogether for today, it is for

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