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The Revenue Act of 1861

The Revenue Act of 1861

Today in 1861, President Lincoln signed the Revenue Act, introducing a federal income tax. Facing financial challenges in prosecuting the Civil War, Lincoln and Congress reached an agreement to levy a 3 percent tax on annual incomes exceeding $800.  In March of...

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Cornelia Hancock: A Heroine of the Civil War

Cornelia Hancock: A Heroine of the Civil War

Cornelia Hancock was a 23-year-old Quaker woman from Salem, NJ, who demonstrated extraordinary courage and compassion during the American Civil War. When she heard about the horrific battle at Gettysburg, she decided to help the soldiers. Many of her neighbors and...

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Happy Halloween – Spiders

Happy Halloween – Spiders

Soldier deaths during the Civil War were common however, the October 14, 1862 edition of the Charlotte Democrat describes the unfortunate events that lead to the death of a soldier from North Carolina.  When you hear of a soldier dying during the Civil War you...

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Developing Civil War Photographs

Wet-plate photography was the style of photography utilized during the American Civil War. It took a lot of time and effort to take the pictures. Photographers had to bring a cart with all of their bulky equipment, including a mobile darkroom, to the...

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Popular Songs of the Civil War

Popular Songs of the Civil War

Soldiers in both armies had their own favorite songs to sing and listen to. Sometimes they sang while marching to keep up their spirits. Union soldiers liked patriotic and sentimental songs. The Battle Cry of Freedom was a Union favorite. Some other...

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Civil War Field Music

Field music was the backbone of the armies during the Civil War.  Field music was made up of fifers, drummers, and buglers and their job was to use their instruments to communicate orders to the troops.  Their job was to regulate a soldier's life...

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