Civil War Test Questions

I need to remind you that these may not be the test questions that you get in class. However, they should give you a sense of the major topics areas. Remember to substitute various people or battles into the appropriate question. For example, the question on Gettysburg could also be asked about Antietam or the Wilderness Campaign. Good luck and feel free to ask any question that you may have.

Explain the arguments for and against slavery?
To what extent was slavery a benign institution?
To what extent did slaves maintain their African culture?
Explain how slaves passively and actively resisted Southern slaveholders.
What was the most significant cause of the Civil War?
To what extent were Northern demographic advantages responsible for the Union’s victory?
Explain how the South prolonged the war despite obvious union advantages.
Why didn’t Britain and France formally assist the South?
Compare and Contrast Lincoln and Davis’s effectiveness.
To what extent was Lincoln responsible for the Union's victory?
Did Lincoln overstep his authority during the Civil War?
What role did African Americans play in the Civil War?
http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/history/aa_history.htm

Why is Lee considered the reason the South survived for so long?
How did Grant’s strategy differ from his predecessors?
What was the critical factor in the North winning the war?
Assess the advantages of the North vs. the South?
In light of overwhelming disadvantages, how does the South prolong the war for four years?
Assess how foreign powers affected the Civil War.
Compare and contrast the role of foreign powers in the Civil War vs. the U.S. Revolution.
Was Lincoln the critical factor in the North winning the Civil War?
Why was Grant a particularly effective commander?
Was Gettysburg the critical battle of the Civil War?

Extra Credit Discussion Blog

Welcome to our extra-credit discussion thread. Feel free to post questions for the next discussion day or ask any questions that you need answered by me. I have listed our meeting times below. Make sure your assigned reading is completed on time.

Meeting 1-Lunchtime 12/3

Meeting 2-Lunchtime 12/8 Read up to "The First Day"

Meeting 3-7:30 A.M. 12/11 Read up to "The Second Day"

Meeting 4-Lunchtime 12/15 Read up to "Friday"

Meeting 5-Lunchtime 12/17 Finish the Book