The American Civil War (1861-1865)

1. Should the Civil War be seen primarily as a war to save the Union or as a war to free the slaves? Why? What name would you give the conflict?
2. What role did race and racism play in the Civil War? How did the war itself reflect and affect American attitudes toward race? Why were the black union soldiers so critical in this regard?
3. How does the popular image of the Civil War compare with the historical reality? Discuss the different perceptions and memories of the war in the North and South (for example the popular images of lee and Sherman in the two sections?