research paper topics for the civil war

193 Civil War Essay Topics

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• The Civil War and the Cold War The Civil War and the Cold War were two important stepping stones that have proved that people’s views very much depend on the time and place and a difference in opinions causes a major conflict.
• The Civil War. The Letters From the Soldiers The essay under consideration represents the analysis of the soldiers’ letters within the larger sequence of historical events.
• History: Civil War Experiences The Civilian War experiences portray the critical role that citizens can play, even if they are not part of the military, towards tackling an adversary.
• American History: U.S. Civil War The idea of switching leadership is a common topic of debate when it comes to the outcome of the U.S. Civil War.
• The Umayyad-Hashemite Civil War and the Birth of the Sunni-Shiite Islamic Schism The Umayyad-Hashemite civil war is attributed to the succession disputes, which took center stage after the death of Prophet Muhammad.
• American History: Civil War Evaluation The paper proves that the civil war was a positive thing for the United States because of the outcomes: abolition of slavery and the union between the country’s south and north.
• African-Americans in the Civil War The Civil War is a historical landmark that provided a fundamental point of social changes for the African-Americans and the entire American society.
• Causes of Civil War in the United States This paper explores the real cause of civil war in the context of who started it and contributing factors. It discusses the contribution of the federal government, Northern and Southern states.
• American Civil War and Reconstruction Era This paper looks at the different aspects of the Civil War and the Reconstruction era including the major figures, the political, judicial, social, and economic changes.
• The United States Civil War: Soldiers’ Motivations This paper compares and contrasts the motivations of Union soldiers and Confederate soldiers, how were they different from each other and are there any ways they were the same.
• US Civil War in “A People at War” by Nelson & Sheriff In the book A People at War, Nelson and Sheriff explain how the events of the American Civil War affected the soldiers and civilians involved in the military campaign.
• American Civil War and North-South Confrontation The paper is to discuss the causes of the conflict between the South and the North of the country, which has evolved into a war and reviews the ramifications of the confrontation
• American Civil War in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address The American Civil War occurred between 1861 and 1865. Without a doubt, it is one of the darkest political upheavals in the history of the United States.
• Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War Abraham Lincoln was a person who has prevented the collapse of the USA and who has liberated slaves. He is considered as an adherent of the American democracy.
• Civil War Poetry by Whitman, Melville and Dickinson This essay discusses the war poems of Whitman in his Drum-Taps, Melville’s Battle Pieces, and those poems written by Dickinson on the civil war. The paper compares the style of writing.
• Crisis and Civil War Events in Nigeria The crisis in Nigeria had a major effect on the lives of many civilians and brought to light many human rights issues, which had to be addressed through global efforts.
• American Civil War and Its Predetermination To date, the Civil War remains the greatest battle on the U.S. territory and one of the most significant events in the American history.
• North-South Gap as a Cause of American Civil War This paper discusses how the economic systems of the North and South contribute to a context of modernization that polarizes these societies and cause the American Civil War.
• American Civil War, Its Main Figures and Events Henry Jackson Hunt, the Chief of Artillery during the Civil War helped shape the results of the war. He recorded several success measures.
• Battle of the Bull Run in American Civil War The first biggest land clash in the history of the American Civil War is the battle of the Bull Run also popularly known as the First Manassas.
• Colombian Civil War and the Issue of Political Economy The guiding research question is how political economy can explain the protracted Colombian Civil War, specifically between the state and FARC.
• The Kansas-Nebraska Act: the Civil War The legal act was primarily intended for the public administrators working in the new territories of Kansas and Nebraska.
• Slavery and Civil War: American History American history is defined by slavery. The founding fathers of America, in the 17th and 18th century, grew the economy through slave labor.
• The U.S. Civil War The US government faced a daunting task of resupplying the troops now stationed at Fort Sumter. In this effect, President Buchanan ordered shipment of more men, supplies and arms to Fort Sumter.
• Civil War in “The American Tradition in Literature” The American Tradition in Literature book is helpful for reasoning the historical events. It provided an insight into the Civil War reasoning and issues facing the early Americans.
• Colombian Civil War’s Political and Economic Reasons The main goal of this literature review is to discuss the main political and economic reasons for the protracted Colombian Civil War.
• Was the American Civil War Inevitable? The Civil War began in 1861, shortly after the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, and lasted for over four years, leading to thousands of deaths.
• American Civil War and Its Complexities The Civil War remains the bloodiest in the history of the US. The losses of the northerners amounted to almost 360 thousand people killed and more than 275 thousand wounded.
• Turning Point of Civil War in the United States The Civil War remains an important historical moment since it led to the establishment of a united country and promoted new laws and frameworks.
• The Reconstruction Period After the Civil War in the USA One of the examples of rehabilitation is the Reconstruction Era that followed the Civil War in the USA in the 19th century.
• The American Civil War Between North and South The American Civil War is one of the most important events that played a significant role in the creation of the United States.
• A Nation Divided. Postcolonialism in “Captain America: Civil War” Captain America: Civil War provides a certain remedy to solve the current problems, and filmmakers utilize the postcolonial perspective that has gained momentum in recent decades.
• Central Government from the Colonial Era to the Civil War Being a subject of the British Empire, American colonies were dependent on the Crown and had limited power and no ability for self-determination.
• War for the West in America After the Civil War The essay discusses an outbreak against slavery that was going on in America – the war for the West in America led by the Red Indians.
• Civil War: The Second American Revolution This essay describes the case of the American Civil War, the heroes created by it, a time of political, social, and economic chaos in a country.
• Civil War Literature Review Literature always reflects every change in the society and it stands to reason that American literature of the nineteenth century was strongly influenced by the tragic events of the Civil War of 1861-1865.
• American Civil War History and Review Between 1861 and 1865 the north and South America states engaged in battle against each other. According to many Americans, the American civil war remains the deadliest in history of America.
• The United States and Difficult Reunification Through a Civil War The Civil War in the United States of America broke out in 1861 when eleven states in the south decided to secede from the federal government.
• “Half Slave and Half Free: The Roots of Civil War” by Bruce Levine In the book “Half Slave and Half Free: The Roots of Civil War” by Bruce Levine, the author gives detailed information on each of the American Civil War years.
• John Brown and the Beginning of the Civil War The main problem that we analyse behind John Brown’s historical movements for social change was the use of violent weapons in response to the Southern aggression.
• American Civil War and Iraq Invasion Comparison The civil war had the Republican Party has been the dominant party which was mostly dominating this war headed by Abraham Lincoln.
• Events Leading to the Civil War in America The paper analyzes four events that were significantly responsible for the manifestation of the American Civil War. Each event is discussed from political and social perspectives.
• The Historical Significance of the Civil War in England The Civil War in England is a range of conflicts between the adherents of Carl I and the adherents of the Parliament. These events took place from 1642 to 1652.
• Fort Sumter and Its Role in the Civil War The Sumter battle had several people killed and wounded. It was due to the bombardment of fort Sumter that led to the civil war being initiated.
• Feminism in Civil War South Power Feminism in the Civil War South dates from anti-slavery movement which demanded abolition of slavery in the early 20th Century.
• The Civil War and the Republican Party The Republicans of 1854 saw the Kansas and Nebraska Act as a direct attack on the issue of the non-extension of slavery, the basis of Western free soil principle.
• Civil War Memoirs of Southern Women Civil War was known as the deadliest war in the history of the United States. After it had ended, slavery was abolished at the price of more than half a million people.
• The American Civil War: A History of the American Revolution The Southern states believed it is their right to own slaves and declared they do not want part of the Union. The government was forced to go to war to preserve the Union.
• American Civil War Reasons The war between the Confederacy and the Union in 1861 was the consequence of an expansion of slavery, different events, and crises, which helped to intensify sectional animosity.
• American Civil War Aftermath The Civil War appeared to be a sectional War which affected and weakened the position of American nation in general.
• The American Civil War: Effects and Consequences The American Civil War resulted in consequences as well as effects which are experienced by the American citizens presently.
• The Civil War and Reconstruction The war between South and North began in April 1861. The Southern wanted to be autonomous and they thus broke away from North and formed Southern confederate states.
• Civil War Resolutions, Party Platforms and Speeches The stern platforms taken by various groups on the compromise led to the secession of various states from the union as well as contributing to the civil war.
• Early America Civil War Period Analysis The US Civil War began on April 12th, 1861, as a result of the unending deep-rooted sectional conflict that was reflected by economic and social-political disparities between the northern and the southern regions.
• The War Ends, The Reconstruction Begins. USA after the Civil War The present paper is focused on the issues of Reconstruction that took place in the USA after the Civil War and different approaches different government bodies took to it.
• Civil War Prevention: Learning from History The two most pressing problems for the US, which appeared long before the start of the war, were the abolition of slavery and the bourgeois-democratic solution to the land question.
• The American Civil War: Key Information The American Civil War was a battle of interests, way of life between the North and the South where each fought to protect their values, different cultural and social aspects.
• Civil War in the US: Causes and Effects It appears that the American Civil War’s causes and effects have a close connection, and are conditioned by the adoption of human freedoms and rights in the US Constitution
• Syrian Civil War in Media Coverage One way in which the media coverage has influenced the behavior of viewers towards the Syrian conflict has been through its portrayal of the deaths of children.
• The Civil War Lessons: Fight for Freedom and Equal Rights The key moment of U.S. history is the Civil War and its consequences, the persistence of people fighting for freedom, and the strength of minorities experiencing oppression.
• The Causes of the American Civil War This essay argues that it was the political control, states’ rights, and economics that revolving around the issue of slavery that caused the Civil War.
• Sherman’s March to the Sea: The Most Decisive Moment of the Civil War Civil War is the bloodstain for the United States, and Sherman’s March to the Sea is the most decisive moment against the Confederacy that led the War to its ending.
• Iraqi Civil War in 2014-2017 The example of the Iraqi civil war of 2014-2017 proves that the geopolitical, and some other contexts of the confrontation pose a severe threat to the whole world.
• Battle for Fort Sumter and the Beginning of the Civil War The battle for Fort Sumter became a starting point for subsequent military actions between the Confederates and the Union.
• Sherman’s March to the Sea: Turning Point of the Civil War Civil War is the bloodstain for the United States, and Sherman’s March to the Sea is the most decisive moment against the Confederacy that led the War to its ending.
• Partido Obrero de Unificación Marxista and Civil War in Spain The paper aims to give a detailed review of the Civil War in Spain in 1936-1939 and discover the character of P.O.U.M.’s participation in the war.
• Civil War in “For Cause and Comrades” by McPherson The current essay is an evaluation of McPherson’s book “For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War” based on the review of crucial plot points.
• Civil Rights for African Americans: Evolution From the Civil War to Today Due to the efforts of many activists, African Americans gained the status of free citizens and equal rights in the second half of the 20th century, which continues to this day.
• Nationalism: The History of Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War in 1936-1939 was the confrontation of two warring forces – the Republican Popular Front and nationalists supported by the Nazi countries of Europe.
• How Constitutional Developments Amounted to American Civil War The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the events that led to the American Revolution of the 1860s.
• The Causes of Tension Before the American Civil War The Civil War has started as a result of uncompromising differences in the views of the North and the South on the issue of slavery.
• Women and Their Role During the Civil War During the Civil War, women felt that they could be useful not only in the domestic sphere but also in the public arena.
• The South vs. The North in the American Civil War The main aim of this assignment is to present the differences between the two regions and to explain why the American Civil War started in 1861.
• The Civil War Events’ Description Differences The Civil War is a significant historical event that moved the American nation to its unity and revealed the United States’ social, political, and economic challenges in the XIX century.
• The Civil War as a Political Crisis The American Civil War is a war from 1861 to 1865 between the Union of non-slavery states and border slave states – on the one side, and the Confederacy of slave states – on the other.
• Nat Turner: Abolitionists, Insurrectionists, and the Road to Civil War The present paper describes abolitionists and insurrectionists depicted in the book “The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion”.
• Iraqi Civil War in 2014-2017: Case Study This work is presented as a case study of the Iraqi Civil War 2014-2017, presented to the American listener in the form of a radio podcast.
• Black Women-Activists During the Civil War in the US All women were worthy of their rights and freedom and were willing to sacrifice themselves, their time, and their health to achieve this.
• Ohio Role in the Civil War The American Civil War was a war between the citizens of the Northern and Southern states presented by the governments of the Union and the Confederacy.
• The Battle for Atlanta in American Civil War On September 2, 1864, Atlanta, also known as the gate to the South, fell. This day has become one of the significant turning points in the history of the Civil War.
• The Role of Women During Civil War This article explains why women were the participants in the Civil War, and their impact was as significant as the men’s achievements.
• Irish Revolution and Civil War of 1918-1923 This paper analyzes Walsh’s ideas about the place of the Irish Revolution and Civil War in the context of the postwar world and the struggle for self-determination.
• Great Roles of Women in the Civil War American women were predominantly perceived only in the domestic context, which was probably one of the factors that led to the underestimation of their roles in the Civil War.
• Women and the Civil War: Homefront & Battlefield Women could not sit idly while their husbands and children continued getting wounds. Some went as far as joining the fight, but others made significant contributions from home.
• African Americans: Participation in the Civil War According to the research paper, African Americans were doing their utmost in order to prevent slavery during the Civil War.
• Sectionalism and Road to American Civil War in 1861 The American civil war started due to many differences between the North and the South regarding economic development, social and political opinions.
• How Did the Civil War Affect the Distribution of Wealth in the United States? The Civil War affected the social and legal alterations in the way slavery is perceived, which affected the ability of Southern slaveowners to attain profits.
• American Civil War and Western Expansion The civil war events awakened the US, creating opportunities that enabled Americans to live and explore new prospects resulting in westward expansion and economic growth.
• Reconstruction: The Second Civil War After the ending of the Civil War, there were two problems in U. S. society between blacks and whites. One of them was the problem of elections and the right to vote
• Slavery and the Civil War: Reasons and Outcomes Slavery stressed the issue of freedom in America and led to effective national changes in its legislation, economy, policy, and social structure.
• African American Soldiers and the Civil War African American soldiers played an essential role in the American Civil War. The white Northerners accepted emancipation and allowed African Americans to participate in the war.
• The Civil War and the Status of African Americans The paper discusses the outcomes of the Civil War that considerably changed the status of African Americans in American society.
• Discussion of Civil War in Bougainville The paper presents notes from the civil war in Bougainville and elaborates on the feature articles and their use in the media.
• The Abolition of Slavery After the Civil War This essay covers topics directly addressing the racial problems from Reconstruction when the civil war between the North and the South pushed society to critical changes.
• US History: The Civil War Discussion Although Southerners are seen as slavery supporters and the Northerners as fighters for freedom, the Civil War showed that the problem cannot be divided into good and bad.
• Major Factors That Undermined U.S. Reconstruction Efforts Following the Civil War The article discusses factors which undermined Reconstruction which aimed to restore the Union, enact progressive legislation and provide civil rights to former slaves.
• American Civil War and Abraham Lincoln’s Presidency The American Civil War was a watershed instant in the country’s history. Ten thousand battles were fought across the globe between 1861 and 1865.
• The Hypocrisy of the Civil War The current paper states that the abolishment of slavery can be considered one of the greatest achievements of the American Civil War.
• Civil War Veterans and Crime in America Podcast by Handley-Cousins and Earls explores how American society and its disabled soldiers coped with the perceptions of service, disability, and government responsibility.
• The American Civil War and North-South Conflict The start of the American Civil War can be traced to the inflexible variations between the autonomous anti-slave North states and the enslaved states in the South.
• Declaration of Independence’s Evolution Between 1776 and the Civil War This paper provides a detailed view of the declaration of independence and its evolutionary factors over recognition and fair treatment of women and slavery.
• Arguments That the South “Won” the Civil War It could seem that the South won the Civil War because some states were able to protect against slavery, and most African Americans lived in poverty.
• What Factors Caused the Civil War The factors that led to the Civil War include the disagreements on some core issues and values between the communities in the North and the South.
• African American Civil War and the Period of Reconstruction
• Civil War, Ethnicity, and the Migration of Skilled Labor
• Civil War Reconstruction and What if It Had Been Overseen by Abraham Lincoln
• Civil War Diffusion and the Emergence of Militant Groups, 1960-2001
• Civil War, Crop Failure, and Child Stunting in Rwanda
• Medical Treatments and Casualties in the Civil War
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Civil War or Religious Conflict and the Role of Women Research Paper
• Constitutional and Social Developments. The Problems That Arose That Lead up to the American Civil War
• Partial Peace Rebel Groups Inside and Outside Civil War Settlements
• How Did Southerners Maintain Control Over African Americans-Both Slave and Free- In the Decades Before the Civil War? Essay
• Industrialization After the American Civil War Essay
• The American Civil War as Described in Maury Klein’s Days of Defiance
• Comparison Between Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee’s Goals During the American Civil War
• Three Important Reasons for the Start of the American Civil War
• Unfortunate Moms and Unfortunate Children: Impact of the Nepali Civil War on Women’s Stature and Intergenerational Health
• Viewing the American Civil War as a War of Unification as Opposed to a Civil War
• What Factors Lay Behind the Coming of the American Civil War
• What Were the Causes of the English Civil War
• Why the American Civil War Is Important
• Why the American Civil War Lasted for Longer Than 90 Days
• Comparing the Differences Between the North and South During the Civil War in America
• Civil War as the Greatest War in American History
• Analyzing the Causes Behind the American Civil War
• Parallels Between the Civil Rights Movement and Post-Civil War Reconstruction
• Medical Conditions Throughout the Civil War: Male and Female Roles
• Conflict Between the North and South Prolonged the Civil War
• The American Civil War: Causes of the Disunion of the Southern and Northern States Essay Example
• Economic and Political Causes of Genocidal Violence: A Comparison With Findings on the Causes of Civil War
• Major Issues for America After the Civil War Untill 1900
• American History: Bloodiest Battle of the Civil War in South Carolina
• The American Civil War: The Last Capitalist Revolution
• The Black Experience Before and After the American Civil War
• North and South Perspectives and the American Civil War
• Civil War Turning Point of the Battle of Gettysburg
• The American Civil War : The Bloodiest War of American History
• Controlling for Import Price Effects in Civil War Regressions
• Civil War Victory and the Onset of Genocide and Politicide
• Comparing the American Revolution and the American Civil War Essay
• The American Civil War and Reconstruction Era Have Caused a Social Change
• How Corporations and Businesses Grew in Post-civil War America
• Civil War and Its Effects on the United States
• Civil War and Political Participation: Evidence From Uganda
• After the Civil War and the Role of Women in Virginia
• Behind the Lines: Spies in the Civil War
• Battles That Divided the United States in the Civil War
• Battles and Women That Effected the Civil War
• North and South Advantages and Disadvantage During the American Civil War
• The American Civil War : The Most Significant Turning Point
• Burnout Syndrome Among Hospital Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Civil War: A Cross-Sectional Study
• Slavery and the Civil War in the United States
• Civil War: The Greatest Disagreement in the History of the United States
• The Capitalists Who Shaped Post Civil War America
• The American Civil War and the Origins of Modern Warfare Ideas Organization
• Buffalo: American Civil War and Infantry Regiments
• Can Development Aid Contribute to Social Cohesion After Civil War? Evidence From a Field Experiment in Post-conflict Liberia
• How Could Post Civil War Reconstruction Be Considered the Second American Revolution
• Reconstruction Policies Following the U.S. Civil War
• Major Issues and Debates Leading to the American Civil War
• Confederacy and Union Problems Experienced on the Home Front During the Us Civil War
• Conscription During the Civil War Objections From the South
• How Were African Americans Treated in the U.S. Before and After the Civil War?
• What Caused Civil War?
• Did Civil War Just Become Inevitable?
• Can Development Aid Contribute to Social Cohesion After Civil War?
• Did the Civil War Give Birth to the Modern U.S.?
• Could the United States Iron Industry Have Survived Free Trade After the Civil War?
• What Caused the American Civil War?
• Did Civil War Help or Hinder the Efforts of Women in the American Society?
• Could the U.S. Iron Industry Have Survived Free Trade After the Civil War?
• Can the United States Justify the Civil War?
• How did Corporations and Businesses grow in Post-Civil War America?
• Could the Civil War Have Been Avoided?
• How and Why Did the North Win the American Civil War?
• Did the Civil War Give Birth to the Modern United States of America?
• Did the North Win the Civil War Before It Began?
• How Was the American Civil War Irrepressible?
• Could the U.S. Civil War Have Been Averted?
• How Close Did Britain Come to Civil War in 1912-1914?
• What Are the Causes of the Spanish Civil War?
• What Caused the Civil War?
• Did the Nationalists Win the Spanish Civil War Because of Their Strengths or the Weaknesses of the Republicans?
• How Did Civil War Affect the Fall of Rome?
• Did the Irish Rebellion Cause the Civil War?
• How did Bolsheviks Win the Civil War?
• Could the South Have Won the Civil War?
• Did Abraham Lincoln Cause the Civil War?
• How Did Life Change for the Blacks After the Civil War?
• Did African American Participation in the Civil War Change?
• How Did Photography Shape Public Reactions to the American Civil War?
• What Advantages Did the North and South Have as the Civil War Began?
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Civil War (SE): Writing Topics

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Suggested Topics for Writing About the Civil War

These ideas for discussing and writing about the Civil War are adapted from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History   in support of the exhibition, Civil War 150 .

Coming of the Civil War:  

• Discuss the legality of secession from the point of view of the Union and Confederacy. How did Southern and Northern understandings of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence differ? How did these different perspectives shape the question of secession and of slaveholding?
• The institution of slavery had been a source of contention since the founding era. Prior to the secession of Southern slaveholding states in 1861, however, a number of compromises were reached between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces. Consider issues such as the Compromise of 1850, the Wilmot Proviso, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Dred Scott decision. What role did these events play in the secession of the Southern states? Was secession inevitable or was a compromise still possible? Is it possible to imagine circumstances in which the system of slavery could have continued in the American South?
• Why did Southern states secede following the presidential election of Abraham Lincoln? How did this change in power alter the politics between Democrats and Republicans during the nineteenth century?
• Consider important figures that impacted the outcome of compromises regarding slavery.

The Union Divided: 

• The nation’s early republican ideals did not extend to tens of thousands of slaves. Treat this as a national and/or local issue. In your area, how did people feel about slavery in the nineteenth century? Was there public debate surrounding this contentious issue? If so, what did each side believe?
• What were Lincoln’s views on slaves and slavery? How, if at all, did they change throughout the war?
• Consider prominent abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass, Anna Elizabeth Dickinson, and Lucretia Mott. What did they want from Lincoln? What opposition did they face and from whom? How were their views were similar and how were they were different?
• What were the international dimensions of the abolition movement? How was the movement in the US affected by or how did it influence freedom movements in other slaveholding areas, such as Latin America or the Caribbean?
• Examine the lives and occupations of African Americans in free states in the nineteenth century. Compare this to the lives of African Americans, enslaved and free, in slave states. How were the experiences of African Americans across the United States different or the same?
• What role did the Border States and the western territories play in deciding the Civil War? Why were they significant?
• How did soldiers and their families perceive the reasons for going to war, and how did those perceptions change as the war progressed?
• How did each side mobilize for war? How do these experiences reflect the challenges of fighting wars in a democracy? 

This Cruel War

• Initially, Americans in both the Union and the Confederacy believed that the war would be a short, nearly bloodless fight. After the initial years of the war, however, it became clear that neither of these assumptions would come to fruition. How did families deal with the worsening of the war? How were the Confederate and Union reactions similar? How were they different?
• What role did the development of new technology, such as the railroad and telegraph, play in the changing role of families at home during war?
• Consider major battles such as the First Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Shiloh, the Seven Days’ Battle, and the Battle of Fredericksburg. How did these battles affect public opinion about the war? How did newspapers of the period report the events of the war? How did this affect public perception of the Union and Confederate successes and failures?
• Discuss major military figures of this period like William T. Sherman, George B. McClellan, Henry W. Halleck, and Ulysses S. Grant on the Union side. Also discuss Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, Braxton Bragg, Joseph E. Johnston, and James Longstreet on the Confederate side. What role did these figures play in the successes or failures of the Union and the Confederacy? How were they perceived by the public at the time? How are they remembered today?
• How did the experience of combat change for soldiers as the intensity and cost of fighting continued to exceed both expectation and previous experience? How did understandings of courage, loyalty, and honor evolve as the death toll rose?
• How did soldiers and families deal with the new realities of war and death that surrounded them? What effect did these changes have on attitudes about mortality, the functions of the state, and the duties of the citizen? How did these changes shape or alter the moral implications of the war and soldiers’ own conduct in it?
• What effect did the Union “hard war” of 1864–1865, with its deliberate destruction of the economic underpinnings of Southern life, have on soldiers and civilians? How was this viewed in both the North and South? What effect did this military plan have on the South following the war’s end?
• What was the role of women in the Civil War? How did war change the role of women in society as a whole?
• Consider important female figures like Clara Barton, Dorothea Dix, the Grimke sisters, and Harriet Tubman. What roles did they play in the Civil War? What views did they express about the role of women in the war and society as a whole? How did they affect the way that women were perceived in the nineteenth century?
• What was the state of medicine in the last half of the nineteenth century in America? How were Civil War hospitals set up? How did women contribute to changes in the area of medicine and sanitation?

Turning Points

• In popular memory, the Civil War is often seen as having been fought solely between the North and the South. During the course of the war, however, both the Union and Confederacy faced numerous internal divisions. They were divided by fierce controversies over conscription, the curtailment of civil liberties, and the unequal economic burdens of war. What were the similarities and differences between Union and Confederate viewpoints, and what do these perceptions reveal about mid-nineteenth-century attitudes regarding citizens and government? Examine events like the New York City draft riots in the Union and bread riots in the Confederacy.
• In the early years of his presidency, Lincoln often said that his main war aim was the preservation of the Union. How then were Union politics affected by the continuation of the war and growing public dissent?
• In terms of military strategy, was the emancipation of African Americans a “top down” or “bottom-up” change? Consider the role of figures like Henry Halleck, Benjamin Butler, and John C. Frémont as well as Abraham Lincoln in the development of the preliminary and final Emancipation Proclamation. What role did they play in the freeing of African Americans?
• The Emancipation Proclamation is often remembered as a major turning point in the lives of African Americans throughout the United States. It applied almost exclusively to states and regions in rebellion, however, failing to extend to slaves in the four Border States or West Virginia. To what extent then was the Emancipation Proclamation meant to change the freedom of African Americans? Was it simply a military tactic or was it meant to have a more permanent, social impact?
• Was the Emancipation Proclamation a radical or moderate document?
• The final Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 committed the Union to the abolition of slavery. How did the adoption of emancipation as a war goal and the raising of black troops change the meaning and the experience of the war in the Union and in the Confederacy? How did the Emancipation Proclamation change public opinion regarding the war in the North and the South?
• Examine the contributions of black soldiers to the Civil War effort. How were the Union and Confederacy different or similar in their use of African American combatants before and after the declaration of the Emancipation Proclamation?
• How did the course of the war and the various roles played by African Americans during it affect race relations and perceptions of racial possibilities in American society?
• Consider the great military victories of both the Union and Confederacy. What did the general public think of these battles? What effect did they have on public morale and public opinion?

Union Victory and the Legacy of Lincoln

• Discuss presidential leadership in times of crisis, with emphasis on Lincoln. How did he shape the presidency? Did he set a precedent for future American leaders?
• How was Lincoln perceived in the rest of the world during his presidency? What was the European reaction to the Civil War?
• What was the reaction in Texas to Lincoln’s assassination? How did the assassination of President Lincoln change the course of the war and of Reconstruction?
• How did the Civil War shape national and regional identity as well as the connections between the two? How did the relationship between the states and the federal government change?
• Using Civil War-era newspapers ( NewsBank is a great source for this--consult a librarian to learn how to find historical newspaper articles in the library databases), compare how they covered Lincoln’s presidency and personal life with how newspapers covered presidents in later periods, e.g. World War II, the 1990s, or today. 
• << Previous: Primary Sources
• Last Updated: Aug 10, 2022 10:45 AM
• URL: https://libguides.tccd.edu/secivilwar150

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The Civil War 1850–1865

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Suggested Essay Topics

1 . Which side benefited more from the Compromise of 1850 , the North or the South?

2 . In 1850 , most Northerners would never have dreamed they would be fighting a war against the South. Why did Northern public opinion change?

3 . Some historians have claimed that the Mexican War was the first battle of the Civil War. Do you agree? Why or why not?

4 . What effect did the Bleeding Kansas crisis have on the slavery debate in the years immediately before the war?

5 . Compare and contrast Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis as wartime presidents. What challenges did they face and how did they overcome them? Who, in your opinion, was the better leader, and why?

6 . What was Britain’s role in the Civil War?

7 . What was the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation? What effect did it have on the North and on the South?

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100 Civil War Topics For Projects and Academic Papers

A key to writing a great research paper assignment on the American Civil War for school is coming up with a good list of Civil War essay topics. You can develop several great ideas by checking your class notes, assigned readings, or checking the web for important issues. However, all of this can be time-consuming and when you think you’ve put together a good list of Civil War topics, you still have to narrow your options down to the original ideas that meet your assignment’s requirements. This is where we can help you to complete your assignment faster . This Civil War topics list covers a wide range of subjects and situations. The topics are free to use and alter in any way you need:

Civil War Project Ideas for a High School Assignment

• What role did the Bleeding Kansas crisis have on the slavery debate?
• What challenges did Abraham Lincoln face during the Civil War?
• What challenges did Jefferson Davis face during the Civil War?
• What was the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation?
• What role did the future western areas play in the Civil War?

Civil War Research Paper Topics for a College-Level Course

• How did Mexico influence the outcome of the Civil War?
• What role did the Cotton Gin have on American slavery?
• How did slavery impact the Southern economy?
• What contributions did Ulysses S. Grant make to U.S. society?
• How important were spies during the American Civil War?

Interesting Civil War Topics for a Long Research Project

• What caused the change in the public opinion of the North regarding the war?
• How could have Robert E. Lee won the war?
• What side would have the Southwest region have joined if they were a part of the U.S.?
• What were the differences between Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis?
• Why was the Civil War such a spectacle to civilians?

Civil War Topics for Projects Due in Just a Few Days

• What were the differences between Ulysses Grant and Robert Lee’s military styles?
• What major technology did the North have an advantage in?
• What was the major economic disadvantage of the South?
• How did John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry impact the nation’s view on slavery?
• Was slavery the only reason the South seceded?

Civil War Debate Topics for a High School Presentation

• The Compromise of 1850 benefited which side of the war the most?
• What was the aftermath of the Civil War?
• What was the biggest reason the North was able to win the war?
• Why did Robert E. Lee decide to join the South?
• How did racism evolve after the Civil War?

Controversial Civil War Topics for an Intro Level Course

• How successful was Abraham Lincoln in reconstructing America?
• Why was the Valley of the Shadow so important?
• Why was Reconstruction fail in the United States?
• What role did women have in the Civil War?
• Should the South continue to fly the rebel flag in public buildings?

More Interesting Topics of the Civil War for Grad Students

• What roles did the states play in dividing the nation in two by region?
• Would it have been possible to end the war without ending slavery?
• How did the issue of slavery influence the start of the war in the decade leading up to it?
• What role did African-American Soldiers play in the Civil War?
• What impact did the Battle of Fredericksburg have on the war?

Civil War Poem Ideas for a Research Paper

• Choose and analyze a war poem by Stephen Crane.
• How does Ambrose Bierce’s poetry bring the war to life?
• What impact did Walt Whitman’s Civil War poetry have on 20 th Century poets?
• Compare and contrast Herman Melville’s poetry with Ambrose Bierce’s?
• Is Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address considered poetry?

Civil War Writing Topics to Write About Overnight

• What impact did the Fugitive Slave of 1850 in the years leading up to the war?
• What role did the Dred Scott decision have on Southern states?
• How did your state feel about slavery in the 19 th century?
• What made General William T. Sherman a hero?
• How did European alliances react to the American Civil War?

Good Civil War Topics When You Don’t Know Much About It

• What role did the Border States between the North and South play in the war?
• How different were the lives of people living in the North and South?
• What were the economic reasons for secession?
• Did the American Civil War pave the way for future American wars?
• Why did the American Confederacy fail to make allies in Europe?

Civil War Project Topics for a Thesis or Dissertation

• Do you agree with researchers’ claim that the Mexican War was the first Civil War battle?
• How was the American Civil War different from other civil wars around the world?
• Why was the Lost Cause in Europe such a major event in the Civil War’s outcome?
• How did the Civil War introduce the world to modern warfare?
• What were the biggest technological advancements made during the Civil War?

Civil War Thesis Topics for a Four Year Degree

• What impact did the American Civil War have on the world?
• Could the North and South have come to a resolution before the outbreak of war?
• Was slavery that essential to the South that it would go to war?
• How did quick-repeating artillery fire help the North outlast the South?
• What role did the Union and Confederate navies play in the war?

Civil War Topics for Research Paper Projects

• Why was Robert E. Lee’s surrender a welcome moment among Southerners?
• Why did the strategies used in the American Civil War lead to so many deaths?
• What was the biggest issue concerning a peaceful transition to unification?
• What were the financial costs of war and reconstruction?
• How was the Civil War depicted in the classic film Gone with the Wind?

Controversial Topics about the Civil War

• There have been a lot of revisionists historians that insist Lincoln may have fought unfairly against the south. Do you agree with this sentiment?
• What did we learn about race relations in the Civil War?
• Would President Lincoln have conceded freeing the slaves if it meant the Southern states would remain in the Union?
• What was the aftermath of the Civil War in the South?
• In what ways did Europe benefit from the American Civil War?

Civil War Research Topics for any Situation

• How were the lives of African Americans different in the North and South?
• Why was most of the Civil War fought in the South?
• Is the Civil War the most disastrous conflict in the history of the U.S.?
• Why was North Carolina so pivotal in the Civil War?
• How did families receive the news that the North and South were going to war?

Civil War Topics for Research that Push the Envelope

• What was the single biggest cause of the American Civil War?
• What role did Abraham Lincoln have in galvanizing support from the North?
• What do the letters between families tell us about the war?
• How did the Civil War change politics in the United States?
• How did the Jim Crow Laws impact the population in the South?

Civil War Topic Ideas for an Intro Level Project

• What were the legal arguments regarding secession made by the Confederacy?
• Who were the key leaders in the Abolitionist Movement?
• How did the Confederate Constitution differ from the Union’s Constitution?
• What impact did the Lincoln-Douglas debates have on slavery?
• How did farmers organize after the Civil War?

Civil War Essay Topics for a Middle School Course

• What role did Britain play in the American Civil War?
• Who were the most important military figures in the Civil War?
• What effect did the Emancipation Proclamation have on the North and South?
• What made the North different from the South?
• Was Lincoln to blame for the Civil War?

Civil War Paper Topics for a Presentation

• What consequences did the South face as a result of losing the war?
• Why was the Kansas-Nebraska Act so important?
• What role did women have in providing support for the North and South?
• How did soldiers’ perception of the war change over the years?
• What was the biggest turning point of the war?

Topics of the Civil War for a Ph.D. Course

• What is today’s perception of the American Civil War?
• Why did the Abolitions Movement fail in the South?
• How important was the Battle of Gettysburg to the outcome of the war?
• Why was Southern Reconstruction so difficult?
• In what ways was the Civil War the most violent U.S war?

The above list of 100 civil war essay topics is just a sample of what we can do to help you find the right subject to research and write about for a school project. We are committed to providing you with the best possible service which is why our team of academic experts providing excellent history help will work around the clock to assist you with your civil war project from start to finish. If you need a custom list of civil war topics, contact us with your project’s requirements, and will provide as many ideas as you need. We are available 24/7 and are always willing to assist in every way possible.

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