Discuss the issue of increasing polarization in American politics. How has President Obama tried to lessen the tension and has he been successful?
1. Compare and contrast the ways that patriotism and nationalism motivated both Confederate and Union soldiers. What did Confederate soldiers believe they were fighting for? How did their motivations differ from Union soldiers?
2. How did Confederate and Union soldiers interpret the "heritage of 1776?" In what ways were their interpretations similar? In what ways were they different? Finally, how did fighting for liberty influence the casualty rates of Civil War armies?
3. Explain the role slavery played in motivating Union soldiers to fight. Was it their primary motivation? If not, what was? Did the "cause of Union" and the "cause of emancipation" have similar effects on Union armies? What caused Union soldiers to eventually fight for emancipation?