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Dr. Eileen McMahon discusses Chicago/Civil War history through new book

The American Civil War was a crucial event in the development of Chicago as the metropolis of the heartland. ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº Professor of Dr. Eileen McMahon shares the events of Chicago’s development through her new book, “Civil War Chicago,” co-edited by Thedore Karamanski, professor of history at Loyola University.

Chicagoans played an important role in the Civil War through politics, policies and support. The Civil War also transformed the region into an industrial power. However, the war also created and increased divisions.

Photographs throughout the book effectively convey the geography of events in this pivotal period of Chicago’s history, and the editors have provided a useful driving guide to Civil War sites in and around the city.

McMahon is a professor of history at ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº. She holds a doctorate in history from Loyola University Chicago and is the author of “What Parish Are You From: A Chicago Irish Community and Race Relations,” coauthor of “North Woods River: The St. Croix River in Upper Midwest History.”

Theodore Karamanski is a professor of history at Loyola University Chicago, where he founded and directs the Public History Program. He is the author of seven books, including “Rally ‘Round the Flag: Chicago and the Civil War,” “Schooner Passage: Sailing Ships and the Lake Michigan Frontier,” and most recently “Blackbird’s Song: Andrew J. Blackbird and the Odawa People.”

ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,700 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit for further information.