While Americans cling to the Civil War, they’ve forgotten most of the rest of their history.
There is no comparable obsession with the Mexican War, the War of 1812, or even the
American Revolution. Create an essay where you discuss some of the reasons for this, as
stated by the author’s stories.
? Horwitz meets many women who are as devoted as men to memory of the War: Sue
Curtis, June Wells, Melly Meadows, Mauriel Joslyn. How does their approach to the War
differ from that of men in the book?
? Many Southern whites revere the rebel battle flag as a symbol of the valor and sacrifice
of their ancestors. To many African-Americans, the same flag is a hated symbol of
segregation and white supremacy. Create an essay that discusses this topic with
examples from stories in the book: Is there any middle ground? Which of the states in
the South have navigated this minefield most successfully?
? Horwitz writes about the killing of Michael Westerman while flying a Confederate flag
from his truck, in Todd County, Kentucky. What are the social and emotional reasons why
Westerman’s killing becomes such a flashpoint for Southern anger, both black and
white?
? The subtitle to Horwitz’s book is “Dispatches from the unfinished civil war.” In what
ways is the war unfinished, according to the stories noted in the book?