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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. After the attack on Fort Sumter, all BUT WHICH of the following states joined the other seven Southern states that had seceded prior to April, 1861?

2. During his visit to the four Civil War battlefields near Fredericksburg, McPherson thinks about the fighting that happened on May 12, 1864; for how many hours did the battle last?

3. As the excitement for battle raced across the country, the governor of Ohio said he could not send the requested thirteen regiments but would send how many?

4. Having discussed how the eagerness for battle faded, McPherson goes on to say that soldiers turned to the most pervasive presence: ________?

5. In "Chapter 3: Anxious for the Fray," soldiers on both sides were afraid the war would be over before they had a chance to do anything, a fear written by a recruit from which regiment?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What ideological concepts and convictions initially motivated the Confederate soldiers to enlist and fight, as discussed by McPherson in his analysis of the beginning of the war?

4. What can readers conclude about the use of alcohol as a motivational tool, during "Chapter 4: If I Flinched, I was Ruined"?

5. In the discussion of cowardice, McPherson says that officers were held to even higher standards of bravery. What effect did this expectation have on officers?

6. How did the Calvinist doctrine of predestination factor into soldiers' lives in the discussion of religion?

7. 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?

8. How did Civil War enlisted men respond to military discipline, as discussed in "Chapter 4: If I Flinched, I was Ruined"?

9. How did Civil War soldiers react to fear in "Chapter 3: Anxious for the Fray"?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the Southern war effort during the Civil War with that of the Revolutionary War soldiers. Discuss three things that Confederate soldiers saw themselves as having in common with the Revolutionary fighters, and include supporting information from the book.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the motivations behind the Civil War for Northern and Southern soldiers. What were the three primary motivations for each group? Be sure to include quotes and supporting information from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Based on McPherson's discussions, analyze and discuss three ways in which the fact that the Northern and Southern armies were comprised primarily of volunteers affected a key component of the war as a whole. Include supporting information from the book and be sure to cite sources as necessary.

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