A Reflection of our Past
Almost 70 million people go to professional baseball games each summer. What do they see? They see athletes, of course, and maybe some action. But that’s not all.
They may not know it, but those fans also see American history. Since the 1800s, baseball has grown with the United States. Changes in the sport reflect those in the nation.
This ball player was on the cover of an 1890 baseball guidebook.
War Games
In 1861, the United States went to war against itself. Thirteen states seceded. This means they broke away from the nation. They formed a new country called the Confederate States of America. President Abraham Lincoln was determined to bring the country together again. He sent troops to take back the states. To resist Lincoln, the Confederacy created its own army. The two sides fought the Civil War.