The Task

The American Civil War was an era of unprecedented political and national instability. The impact of the war affected every aspect of American life, forever changing the cultural landscape and the way Americans perceived their nation, themselves, and others around them. Your task here is to discover and learn about several facets of the war from various individual perspectives. You will eventually be able to understand what it would have been to have lived during the era. The questions you will focus on as you travel back and take on the role of historical figures are:

1. Why did Americans go to war (against one another) in 1861?
2. What effect did the war have upon the nation? On the different regions of the country?
3. What outcomes of the war change the American cultural landscape, and why did they bring about such change?