- 1. The 'Battle Cry of Freedom' by James M. McPherson is a captivating historical narrative that explores the American Civil War, delving into the complex interplay of political, social, and military factors that defined this tumultuous period in American history. McPherson, a renowned historian and expert on the Civil War, weaves together a rich tapestry of anecdotes, battles, and poignant personal stories that highlight not only the major events of the war, such as the Battle of Gettysburg and the Siege of Vicksburg, but also the immense cultural and social upheaval that accompanied the conflict. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, he presents a balanced view of both the Union and Confederate perspectives, illustrating the profound questions of freedom, democracy, and human rights that were at stake. The book also examines the experiences of soldiers, civilians, and enslaved people, emphasizing their roles and the war's transformative impact on American society. With 'Battle Cry of Freedom,' McPherson not only offers a detailed chronological account of the war but also engages readers with the moral dilemmas and ideological battles that shaped the nation, making it an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the Civil War and its lasting legacy on the United States.
What is the subtitle of 'Battle Cry of Freedom' by James M. McPherson?
A) The Civil War Era
B) A Nation Divided
C) The American Revolution
D) The Road to Appomattox
- 2. In what year was 'Battle Cry of Freedom' first published?
A) 1982
B) 1988
C) 1995
D) 1976
- 3. Which Pulitzer Prize category did 'Battle Cry of Freedom' win?
A) History
B) General Nonfiction
C) Fiction
D) Biography
- 4. 'Battle Cry of Freedom' is part of a larger series on American history published by Oxford University Press. What is the name of that series?
A) The American Chronicles
B) Oxford's American Narrative
C) The Oxford History of the United States
D) The Great American History Series
- 5. McPherson credits which Union general with developing the 'Anaconda Plan'?
A) William T. Sherman
B) George McClellan
C) Winfield Scott
D) Ulysses S. Grant
- 6. What was the name of the ironclad warship that fought the USS Monitor, as detailed by McPherson?
A) CSS Alabama
B) CSS Hunley
C) CSS Shenandoah
D) CSS Virginia
- 7. According to McPherson, the Emancipation Proclamation transformed the Union war aim to include:
A) Reconstruction
B) Manifest Destiny
C) Punishment of the South
D) Abolition of slavery
- 8. McPherson highlights the importance of the Union victory at Vicksburg because it:
A) Ended the war in the West
B) Destroyed the Confederate navy
C) Gave the Union control of the Mississippi River
D) Captured Jefferson Davis
- 9. What does McPherson identify as the 'turning point' of the war?
A) The Battle of Antietam
B) The Peninsula Campaign
C) The Battle of Gettysburg
D) The capture of Atlanta
- 10. McPherson describes General William T. Sherman's 'March to the Sea' as a strategy of:
A) Guerilla tactics
B) Maneuver warfare
C) Total war
D) Conventional siege
- 11. What 1864 battle, a devastating Union defeat, nearly cost Lincoln the election?
A) The Battle of Cold Harbor
B) The Battle of the Wilderness
C) The Battle of the Crater
D) The Battle of Spotsylvania
- 12. McPherson argues that Lincoln's re-election in 1864 was secured by:
A) Voter fraud
B) A surge in anti-war sentiment
C) Military victory in Atlanta
D) His opponent's poor health
- 13. Where did General Robert E. Lee surrender the Army of Northern Virginia?
A) Richmond
B) Gettysburg
C) Washington, D.C.
D) Appomattox Court House
- 14. McPherson estimates the total number of soldiers who died in the Civil War to be approximately:
A) 450,000
B) 620,000
C) 1,000,000
D) 750,000
- 15. What does McPherson cite as the most important consequence of the Civil War?
A) The supremacy of the federal government
B) The expansion of the United States
C) The abolition of slavery
D) The industrialization of the South
- 16. McPherson describes the pre-war U.S. as a 'house divided,' a phrase originally used by:
A) Henry Clay
B) Abraham Lincoln
C) John C. Calhoun
D) Thomas Jefferson
- 17. What 1854 law, discussed by McPherson, inflamed sectional tensions by allowing popular sovereignty on slavery in new territories?
A) The Missouri Compromise
B) The Wilmot Proviso
C) The Fugitive Slave Act
D) The Kansas-Nebraska Act
- 18. The Dred Scott decision, analyzed by McPherson, ruled that:
A) Slaves were U.S. citizens
B) Congress could not ban slavery in the territories
C) Dred Scott was a free man
D) The Missouri Compromise was constitutional
- 19. McPherson identifies which individual as the 'greatest asset' of the Confederate cause?
A) Robert E. Lee
B) Stonewall Jackson
C) Jefferson Davis
D) J.E.B. Stuart
- 20. What does McPherson identify as the Confederacy's greatest advantage at the war's outset?
A) Defensive strategy on familiar territory
B) A stronger navy
C) A larger population
D) Superior industrial capacity
- 21. McPherson credits the leadership of which general as crucial to ultimate Union victory?
A) Joseph Hooker
B) George McClellan
C) Ambrose Burnside
D) Ulysses S. Grant
- 22. According to McPherson, the Confederacy was ultimately defeated due to:
A) A lack of belief in their cause
B) Poor military leadership from start to finish
C) The Union's overwhelming resources and manpower
D) Massive slave rebellions behind lines
- 23. What was the name of the Confederate strategy that relied on European intervention?
A) Scott's Great Snake
B) King Cotton Diplomacy
C) The Offensive-Defensive
D) Anaconda Plan
- 24. Which Union general is credited with the 'March to the Sea'?
A) George McClellan
B) George Meade
C) Ulysses S. Grant
D) William Tecumseh Sherman
- 25. What was the primary Union strategy to defeat the Confederacy known as?
A) The Anaconda Plan
B) The Cotton Blockade
C) The Virginia Plan
D) The Southern Strategy
- 26. Which battle is considered the bloodiest single day in American military history?
A) Shiloh
B) Gettysburg
C) Chancellorsville
D) Antietam
- 27. McPherson describes the Civil War as a 'second American' what?
A) Awakening
B) Revolution
C) Renaissance
D) Constitution
- 28. Which state was the first to secede from the Union?
A) Mississippi
B) Virginia
C) Georgia
D) South Carolina
- 29. Who was the President of the Confederate States of America?
A) Jefferson Davis
B) Alexander Stephens
C) Stonewall Jackson
D) Robert E. Lee
- 30. What was the primary source of soldiers for the Union and Confederate armies?
A) Foreign mercenaries
B) Professional soldiers
C) Volunteers
D) Drafted conscripts
- 31. Which Union victory gave the North control of the Mississippi River?
A) Vicksburg
B) Gettysburg
C) Antietam
D) Atlanta
- 32. McPherson argues that the North's greatest advantage was its:
A) Military leadership
B) Knowledge of the terrain
C) Morale and will to fight
D) Industrial capacity
- 33. What was the name given to Northern Democrats who opposed the war?
A) Carpetbaggers
B) Scalawags
C) Fire-Eaters
D) Copperheads
- 34. For which prestigious award did 'Battle Cry of Freedom' win?
A) The Bancroft Prize
B) The National Book Award
C) The Pulitzer Prize
D) The Nobel Prize in Literature
- 35. How does McPherson characterize President Lincoln's role in the Union victory?
A) As indispensable
B) As largely symbolic
C) As militarily interfering
D) As focused only on politics
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