Amazon.com description: Product Description: The Access to History series is the most popular and trusted series for AS- and A-level history students. The new editions combine all the strengths of this well-loved series with a new design and features that allow all students access to the content and study skills needed to achieve exam success. This is the fourth edition of The American Civil War and Its Origins, 1848-65, which has been revised and extended to fully cover the 2008 AS- and A-level specifications for OCR and Edexcel. The book begins by focusing on the westward expansion in America and the problems this caused. It then goes on to look at the rise of the Republican Party and the 1860 presidential election. The causes of the Civil War are traced, as well as the major conflicts during the War, and the conclusion is extended to look both at the Union victory, and the reconstruction period that followed. Throughout the book, key dates, terms, and issues are highlighted, and historical interpretations of key debates are outlined. Summary diagrams are included to consolidate knowledge and understanding of the period, and exam-style questions and tips written by examiners for each examination board provide the opportunity to develop exam skills.