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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. During "Chapter 6: A Band of Brothers," McPherson notes that studies of combat motivation have shown the need of soldiers to prove themselves to wane after how many battles?

2. Soldiers in the discussion of military coercion stood firm under fire for the Prussian army under the command of ________ because they feared their officers more than the enemy.

3. Soldiers from all BUT WHICH of the following states are mentioned in the discussion of green recruits who wanted to prove their manhood through battle?

4. In May 1864 the 7th New York was delighted to be ordered into action; they were less excited nine months later after having lost how many men?

5. As "Chapter 6: A Band of Brothers" opens, McPherson says that Civil War soldiers wrote much about all BUT WHICH of these synonyms?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the discussion of regimental bonding, what is "primary group cohesion"?

2. What ideological concepts and convictions initially motivated the Union soldiers to fight in "Chapter 2: We Were in Earnest"?

3. In "Chapter 1: This War is a Crusade," what difference does McPherson note between the Civil War and the Vietnam War?

4. For what purpose does McPherson relate the story of James and John Welsh in the opening of "Chapter 2: We Were in Earnest"?

5. Why, in "Chapter 6: A Band of Brothers," were disparaging remarks between regiments so common?

6. McPherson says that duty and honor were powerful motives for battle, and then goes on to say that they had to be because what modern elements were lacking in Civil War-era soldiers?

7. What methods did officers used after they were confronted with undisciplined troops early in the war?

8. In "Chapter 6: A Band of Brothers," what three synonyms did Civil War soldiers write a great deal about?

9. As the Civil War began, in what way did both the North and the South believe they were each fighting for the cause of liberty?

10. When McPherson discusses Civil War veteran John W. DeForest, what explanation do readers receive of the definition between a lunatic and a hero?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the attitudes of Union soldiers toward the war before and after the Emancipation Proclamation. Be sure to discuss why some Union soldiers were angered by Lincoln's Proclamation, and include supporting quotes and information from the text.

Essay Topic 2

The men who became soldiers during the Civil War era were largely defined by Victorian ideals of manhood. Compare and contrast these ideals--and the soldiers who embodied them--with the modern equivalents. Be sure to include supporting information from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast soldiers' initial combat motivation with combat exhaustion. Be sure to explain when a soldier would experience each and what the reaction would be, in addition to analyzing the differing tone that accompanies each stage in the book. Include quotes and supporting information from the text.

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