The American Civil War took place between 1861 and 1865 as the South, known as the Confederacy, attempted to secede from the United States. The North, known as the Union, pushed forward with abolition, while the Southern states decided to secede to maintain the institution of enslavement. In 1863, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared the end of enslavement. The Civil War is the deadliest war in United States history, with over 700,000 soldiers killed. The use of new technology and weaponry made significant contributions to the high casualty rate.

The period following the end of the Civil War is known as the Reconstruction Era, as both Northern and Southern states rebuilt after the conflict. After the assassination of President Lincoln, the 14th and 15th amendments to the United States Constitution protected citizens from discrimination based on protected classes of identity. These amendments limited the ability of Southern states to antagonize formerly enslaved people. In the Panic of 1873, an economic depression began that lasted until 1879, increasing the difficulties of Reconstruction. Tensions between the North and South continued indefinitely, with many in the present day still reiterating and repeating elements of the conflict in contemporary political movements and organizations.

The novel takes place between the beginning of the Civil War and the beginning of the Panic of 1873.