In 1861, 11 states seceded from the Union, wrote a new Constitution, and formed the Confederate States of America. Marking the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, historian Adam Goodheart joins the National Constitution Center on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. to share what’s been called ”an evocative re-interpretation of the Civil War’s beginnings.” Admission to the event at the Center is FREE, but reservations are required and can be made by calling 215.409.6700 or online at the NCC web site. Goodheart’s visit coincides with the release of his new book, 1861: The Civil War Awakening, an epic tale of courage and heroism beyond the battlefields. Early in that fateful year, a second American revolution unfolded, inspiring a new generation to reject its parents’ faith in compromise and appeasement, and to do the unthinkable in the name of an ideal. Through a cast of little-known Civil War heroes, Goodheart will take the audience from the halls of the Capitol to the slums of Manhattan, from the mouth of the Chesapeake to the deserts of Nevada, from Boston Common to Alcatraz Island, vividly evoking the Union at this moment of ultimate crisis and decision. Adam Goodheart is a historian, journalist, and travel writer. He currently writes a regular column on the Civil War for The New York Times online. Goodheart has written for National Geographic, Outside, Smithsonian, The Atlantic, GQ, and The New York Times Magazine, among other publications, and has worked as an editor of the Op-Ed page of The New York Times. A book sale and signing will follow the program, courtesy of Joseph Fox Bookshop. MORE