1. This week we meet three of Lincoln’s generals: McClellan, Sherman, and Grant. Compare them. Tell us about each man. What were the strengths and weaknesses of each? How did each prosecute the war? Who were these men and how did they contribute to the success or failure of the war?
2. Examine the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg. For each one, give the significance. Address the BIG FIVE: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY. In other words, give the significance and consequences of each battle. Which of these three or any other battle of the war was the most important turning point in the war? And why?
3. What is total war? How was it manifested in the American Civil War? Give examples. How did total war change warfare and what are examples of total war in conflicts after 1865? Also, what is the definition of war? Perhaps start there, then build to total war.
4. Last week touched on foreign involvement in the American Civil War. How close was the Confederacy to making an alliance with a foreign power? What impact would it have had? And what prevented it?