American Civil War: Confederate Nationalism

What is the main idea of the text?

What does the image of George Washington in a Roman toga represent?

What does the presence of John C. Calhoun's portrait on the currency signify?

What is the significance of the image of African Americans working in the fields on the currency?

What is the author's tone towards the Confederacy?

What is the main purpose of this text?

What was the primary ideal upon which Confederate nationalism was based?

Who made the statement that the foundations of the Confederacy were laid on the belief in racial inequality?

What did southerners fear more than anything else according to the described Confederate mindset?

How did religion influence Confederate nationalism?

What did the Confederate founding document explicitly invoke?

Which statement aligns with the Mississippi statement of secession?

How did the election of Lincoln in 1860 impact the South?

Which of the following was NOT a rationale for secession according to Confederate beliefs?

Confederate Nationalism

Confederate nationalism was based on several ideals, with slavery being the foremost among them.
According to Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens, the Confederacy's "foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery...is his natural and normal condition."
The election of Lincoln in 1860 demonstrated that the South was politically overwhelmed, leading to the adoption of Confederate nationalism.

Slavery as the Core of the Confederacy

Slavery was omnipresent in the pre-war South and served as the most common frame of reference for unequal power.
To southerners, there was no fate more terrifying than being reduced to the level of a slave.
The existence of slavery was the essential core of the fledgling Confederacy for the original seven Confederate states and the four that would subsequently join.

Role of Religion in Confederate Nationalism

Religion played a significant role in shaping Confederate nationalism, with southerners believing that the Confederacy was fulfilling God's will.
The Confederacy even veered from the American constitution by explicitly invoking Christianity in their founding document.

Confederate Currency and Nationalism

Confederate currency featured emblems of nationalism, including George Washington standing stately in a Roman toga, indicating the belief in the South's honorable and aristocratic past.
John C. Calhoun's portrait emphasized the Confederate argument of the importance of states' rights.
The image of African Americans working in fields demonstrated slavery's position as foundational to the Confederacy.

This quiz explores the ideals behind Confederate nationalism during the American Civil War, including the role of slavery. Learn about the views of Confederate leaders like Alexander Stephens and how they shaped the Confederacy's identity.