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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 battle of Antietam, the colonel of the 20th Massachusetts disappeared and was later found wandering without food or water and without having changed clothes for how long?

2. On July 1, 1864, a captain for the 103rd Illinois wrote that it was day sixty-two for his regiment, and that they'd spent how many of those days under fire?

3. In the discussion of combat stress reaction, readers learn that this phenomenon was most common during which year of the Civil War?

4. During the discussion of the American volunteers in the Spanish Civil War, what percentage found that "belief in war aims" helped overcome the fear of battle?

5. As "Chapter 7: On the Altar of My Country" begins, McPherson quotes an analysis of surviving Tennessee soldiers that showed they weren't really aware of the South's goals during the Civil War. Which decade was the analysis?

Short Essay Questions

1. At the close of "Chapter 12: The Same Holy Cause," what final lessons does McPherson hope readers take from the book?

2. How did Northern soldiers initially respond when Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation?

3. In the discussion of revenge, why does McPherson say that the Confederate army was more motivated by hatred and revenge than the Union?

4. In what way did the Confederate soldiers identify with the Founding Fathers in the discussion of the concept of liberty?

5. In "Chapter 9: Slavery Must be Cleaned Out," what convinced non-abolitionist Union soldiers that slavery was an evil that must be stopped?

6. What can be considered ironic about the Confederate fascination with liberty, as discussed in "Chapter 8: The Cause of Liberty"?

7. After discussing how the conflict between love of family and love of country was a major concern for many Confederate soldiers, how does McPherson say the men resolved this dichotomy?

8. In the discussion of vengeance, what disturbing instructions did some soldiers send in letters home to their wives?

9. Under what conditions were black soldiers allowed to join the Confederate army during the final year of the Civil War?

10. In Lincoln's discussions of democracy, what fear did he express if the South should be allowed to secede?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In a well-developed essay, compare and contrast the Northern concept of liberty with that of the Southern version of liberty. In what two major ways do their interpretations differ? Be sure to include supporting information from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Using all available references to officers of both armies, compare and contrast Union and Confederate officers. In what ways did their talents and methodologies differ? Include supporting information from the text.

Essay Topic 3

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.

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