- 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) The American Revolution
C) The Road to Appomattox
D) A Nation Divided
- 2. In what year was 'Battle Cry of Freedom' first published?
A) 1982
B) 1976
C) 1995
D) 1988
- 3. Which Pulitzer Prize category did 'Battle Cry of Freedom' win?
A) History
B) General Nonfiction
C) Biography
D) Fiction
- 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) Oxford's American Narrative
B) The American Chronicles
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) Ulysses S. Grant
B) Winfield Scott
C) William T. Sherman
D) George McClellan
- 6. What was the name of the ironclad warship that fought the USS Monitor, as detailed by McPherson?
A) CSS Shenandoah
B) CSS Alabama
C) CSS Virginia
D) CSS Hunley
- 7. According to McPherson, the Emancipation Proclamation transformed the Union war aim to include:
A) Reconstruction
B) Abolition of slavery
C) Manifest Destiny
D) Punishment of the South
- 8. McPherson highlights the importance of the Union victory at Vicksburg because it:
A) Captured Jefferson Davis
B) Destroyed the Confederate navy
C) Ended the war in the West
D) Gave the Union control of the Mississippi River
- 9. What does McPherson identify as the 'turning point' of the war?
A) The Battle of Antietam
B) The Battle of Gettysburg
C) The Peninsula Campaign
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) Conventional siege
C) Total war
D) Maneuver warfare
- 11. What 1864 battle, a devastating Union defeat, nearly cost Lincoln the election?
A) The Battle of Spotsylvania
B) The Battle of Cold Harbor
C) The Battle of the Wilderness
D) The Battle of the Crater
- 12. McPherson argues that Lincoln's re-election in 1864 was secured by:
A) His opponent's poor health
B) A surge in anti-war sentiment
C) Voter fraud
D) Military victory in Atlanta
- 13. Where did General Robert E. Lee surrender the Army of Northern Virginia?
A) Appomattox Court House
B) Richmond
C) Washington, D.C.
D) Gettysburg
- 14. McPherson estimates the total number of soldiers who died in the Civil War to be approximately:
A) 750,000
B) 620,000
C) 1,000,000
D) 450,000
- 15. What does McPherson cite as the most important consequence of the Civil War?
A) The abolition of slavery
B) The supremacy of the federal government
C) The expansion of the United States
D) The industrialization of the South
- 16. McPherson describes the pre-war U.S. as a 'house divided,' a phrase originally used by:
A) John C. Calhoun
B) Henry Clay
C) Abraham Lincoln
D) Thomas Jefferson
- 17. What 1854 law, discussed by McPherson, inflamed sectional tensions by allowing popular sovereignty on slavery in new territories?
A) The Kansas-Nebraska Act
B) The Missouri Compromise
C) The Wilmot Proviso
D) The Fugitive Slave Act
- 18. The Dred Scott decision, analyzed by McPherson, ruled that:
A) Congress could not ban slavery in the territories
B) Slaves were U.S. citizens
C) The Missouri Compromise was constitutional
D) Dred Scott was a free man
- 19. McPherson identifies which individual as the 'greatest asset' of the Confederate cause?
A) Jefferson Davis
B) J.E.B. Stuart
C) Robert E. Lee
D) Stonewall Jackson
- 20. What does McPherson identify as the Confederacy's greatest advantage at the war's outset?
A) Superior industrial capacity
B) Defensive strategy on familiar territory
C) A larger population
D) A stronger navy
- 21. McPherson credits the leadership of which general as crucial to ultimate Union victory?
A) Ambrose Burnside
B) Ulysses S. Grant
C) George McClellan
D) Joseph Hooker
- 22. According to McPherson, the Confederacy was ultimately defeated due to:
A) The Union's overwhelming resources and manpower
B) A lack of belief in their cause
C) Massive slave rebellions behind lines
D) Poor military leadership from start to finish
- 23. What was the name of the Confederate strategy that relied on European intervention?
A) Scott's Great Snake
B) Anaconda Plan
C) The Offensive-Defensive
D) King Cotton Diplomacy
- 24. Which Union general is credited with the 'March to the Sea'?
A) William Tecumseh Sherman
B) Ulysses S. Grant
C) George Meade
D) George McClellan
- 25. What was the primary Union strategy to defeat the Confederacy known as?
A) The Cotton Blockade
B) The Southern Strategy
C) The Anaconda Plan
D) The Virginia Plan
- 26. Which battle is considered the bloodiest single day in American military history?
A) Chancellorsville
B) Shiloh
C) Gettysburg
D) Antietam
- 27. McPherson describes the Civil War as a 'second American' what?
A) Awakening
B) Constitution
C) Renaissance
D) Revolution
- 28. Which state was the first to secede from the Union?
A) Mississippi
B) Virginia
C) South Carolina
D) Georgia
- 29. Who was the President of the Confederate States of America?
A) Alexander Stephens
B) Jefferson Davis
C) Robert E. Lee
D) Stonewall Jackson
- 30. What was the primary source of soldiers for the Union and Confederate armies?
A) Drafted conscripts
B) Foreign mercenaries
C) Professional soldiers
D) Volunteers
- 31. Which Union victory gave the North control of the Mississippi River?
A) Antietam
B) Atlanta
C) Vicksburg
D) Gettysburg
- 32. McPherson argues that the North's greatest advantage was its:
A) Industrial capacity
B) Knowledge of the terrain
C) Morale and will to fight
D) Military leadership
- 33. What was the name given to Northern Democrats who opposed the war?
A) Carpetbaggers
B) Fire-Eaters
C) Copperheads
D) Scalawags
- 34. For which prestigious award did 'Battle Cry of Freedom' win?
A) The Pulitzer Prize
B) The Bancroft Prize
C) The Nobel Prize in Literature
D) The National Book Award
- 35. How does McPherson characterize President Lincoln's role in the Union victory?
A) As militarily interfering
B) As largely symbolic
C) As focused only on politics
D) As indispensable
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