The American Civil War And Civil War Collectibles

By: Dianne Hamments

The American Civil War was one of the bloodiest series of
battles ever fought within a single country. It was an epic
struggle waged for five years (1861-1865) between the northern
free States, as the United States of America, and the seceding
Southern slave States, which formed a splinter country known as
the Confederate States of America. It has several other names,
including "The War Between the States," "The War of Northern
Aggression" and "The War for Southern Independence," but it is
also sometimes called the "War of Brothers" because the emotions
it engendered polarized and divided family members against each
other. Because the issues at stake and the war itself were so
strongly emotional, it was not uncommon for two brothers to
fight on opposing sides, or for a father and son to be engaged
in battle against each other. And because of the polarizing
issues and the huge number of casualties suffered, "memories" of
the Civil War are burned into the hearts and minds of many
Americans alive even today, almost 150 years after the war's
end. This cultural "memory" is probably responsible for the
great popularity of Civil War collectibles.

Civil War collectibles exist for both sides of the struggle,
North and South. In fact, because of their great historical
interest, there is no sign that the popularity of Civil War
collectibles has reached its apex or will wane at any time in
the foreseeable future.

Different Types of Civil War Collectibles, for Different
Interests.

A multitude of different types of Civil War collectibles exist,
both large and small, from each side's armies. They range from
everyday, mundane items used by infantry soldiers to more
esoteric or specialized Civil War collectibles used only by
certain types of officers or cavalry troops. Civil War
collectibles include belt buckles, uniform buttons, canteens and
flasks, caps and hats, insignia, uniform jackets, pants and
shirts, pins, revolvers, rifles, swords and sabers, bullets and
shot, cannonballs, and cannon and other artillery pieces.
Photographs of soldiers, battlefield maps and other paper
ephemera, together with postage stamps and currency issued by
the Confederacy, are also interesting Civil War collectibles.

People acquire Civil War collectibles for different reasons.
Some are history buffs, fascinated by the swirl of events, or
collectors of militaria. Others have a much more personal
connection - an ancestor who fought in the war or who was in
some other way affected by it. Still others have a strong sense
of pride in the accomplishments achieved by Confederate soldiers
against almost overwhelming odds, and in the sacrifices made by
those soldiers in order to retain what they viewed as an
essential way of life. But whatever reasons underly a person's
interest in Civil War collectibles, they are fascinating symbols
of one of the most significant historical events of the western
hemisphere.

Article Source: https://www.collectibles-articles.com

Diane Hamments is a freelance author who writes on various subjects including Civil War Collectibles, Swords, gift Items and Memorabilia. Visit great gift ideas for more information.

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Old Rare Vintage Antique Civil War Relic Confederate Canister Shot Appomattox VA
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Rare Vintage Antique Civil War Relic Confederate Cavalry Caltrop Horse Crippler
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