Just watched a first look video, starting the spring 1861 campaign. And holy cow, it looks awesome!
When you choose which side you want to play, you can choose 3 policies. They'll help your politics throughout the game. You can check for how it was historically, you can check for random choice or you can select your own choice. The policies are along the lines of "Old Dominion" which'll ensure that Virginia joins the Confederacy, "Kansas Free State"/"Kansas Slave State", "Underground Railroad" and various others.
Now I wish I was on vacation and had time to already play it. Alas, vacation isn't until October... *sighs*.