The starting date of America's civil war, known in this timeline as the War Between the States, is hotly debated by historians from this alternate world. Some say it began when President Lee died in January of 1856, handing James Hawthorne the presidency. Others say that it wasn't until the start of the shelling of Boston on March 19th, 1857. Some argue that the war didn't begin until the New England states began to secede in April of 1857, ultimately forming the Confederation of American States. Finallly, some will even put forth the argument that the war didn't truly begin until the secession of the Democrat-controlled Northern States that would form the separate Free States of America. For our purposes, we will discuss the conflict within the bounds of President Hawthorne's tenure as President of the United States, from January 6, 1856, until October 17, 1860, with each year separated as it's own "chapter."