“In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war.”

These words came from the mouth of President Abraham Lincoln in his first Inaugural Address over 150 years ago. Although at the time, the president meant only to warn the American people of the conflict to come, his words have developed a lasting significance in today’s world.

In recognizing that the decision to go to war remained in the hands of the American public, Lincoln acknowledged that a war would have a grand effect on the American people. These words have proved true even today, as the war has continued to effect American citizens since its first shots were fired in April 1861.

Of all the wars in America’s history, few have resulted in the same amount of death and destruction as the Civil War. The war, which resulted in the death of approximately 600,000 soldiers, was the bloodiest in American history, a fact unbeknownst to most U.S. citizens.

This lack of understanding, however, is not limited to such statistics as the number of soldiers killed in the war. In order to fully understand students’ knowledge of the war, The A-Blast conducted a survey in history classes varying based subject and grade.

Based on the results, an overwhelming number of students knew that Virginia fought on the side of the Confederates and that the war occurred 150 years ago. Most students also knew that approximately 600,000 soldiers died in the war and that it was the bloodiest in U.S. history.

Meanwhile, less than two-thirds of students knew that Lincoln’s original purpose in fighting the South was to reunite the Union and that the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter. Even less knew General Sherman’s role in the war and that Lincoln wished to forgive the South following the war.

This poor knowledge of the war’s events is troublesome to many, as the Civil War has shaped much of modern America.

“So much of modern America stemmed from events going back to the Civil War that I think it is necessary to have a solid understanding of our past in order to understand the country we live in now,” senior Byron Felt said. In order to encourage a greater understanding of the war, Felt participates in Civil War reenactments across the East Coast as a private in Company I of the Thirteenth Virginia Regiment Volunteer Infantry.

“By going to the reenactments, people are able to see what life was like, to a certain extent, for soldiers who fought during the war,” Felt said. “Seeing the reenactments can really bring the history alive and gives spectators a greater appreciation for what happened 150 years ago.”

History teacher Stratton Shartel agrees that it is important for students to study the Civil War and recognize how it has influenced today’s world.

“The Civil War was a trauma unlike any other that our nation has experienced,” Shartel said. “It was a true turning point, especially for African Americans. We forget its lessons at our peril.”

Similar to Felt, Shartel also participates in Civil War reenactments. Generally playing the role of Abraham Lincoln, Shartel finds that the Civil War has had a lasting effect on today’s population.

“Millions of people from all over the world continue to study the war and visit sites related to it,” Shartel said. “Many are motivated to stand up for those who are oppressed, inspired by many who did so during the war.”

Though it began over 150 years ago, the Civil War has had a major impact on today’s society. For this reason, it is important that students study the war not only in detail, but also with a focus on its lasting impact.
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Although we have made much progress as a nation,” Shartel said, “we still have a way to go.”