Civil War and Revisionism

Edward Ayers is a Civil War historian at the Univ of Richmond who argues that the coming of the Civil War was "perfect storm" of conditions and the "most important consequence (of the war) was the emancipation of 4 million slaves". He notes how the view of the war has changed over the years. In the late 1800's the war was seen as a "necessary sacrifice to end slavery". After WWI historians questioned if the war was "unavoidable or worth the price". One historian-Edmond Wilson-"compared Lincoln to Lenin" in that both were trying to re-shape the world to their liking. During WWII the war was taught as "worth dying for". Then with the civil rights era those in the south emphasized the "states' rights" position while northerners believed in the "need for federal intervention to right and enduring wrong". In Virginia this year the governor issued a proclamation honoring Confederate History Month without noting the existence of slavery. Edward Ayers believes the Civil War "is at the heart of what this nation is about" and a proper teaching of it is important. The war came about by a complex of issues and one explanation-like slavery or states' rights-is the wrong approach.
(Source: "A Perfect Storm Caused Civil War, Historian Says" by Frederick Kunkle of The Washington Post. In The Virginian Pilot on 11/7/10).