The Civil War was a defining period in the life of the United States. The whole idea of a United States held in the balance during the years before, during, and after the Civil War. One thing I gained from the course was that the war era was very complicated! The books we have read in class, the online sites, and the lectures have made me realize that to polarize regions, people, political parties as one way is incorrect and leads to false interpretations. It was interesting to see how politics, and not strictly moral conviction, during the Civil War had a huge impact on the emancipation of the slaves. Also, Lee’s determination to continue to fight in the war, ultimately led to the complete emancipation of every slave. The illusion that was shattered for me by this course was that the North was not staunchly abolitionist and that not all Southerners agreed with slavery. The implications of the Civil War are great, and this class and it’s entire devotion to a few years in the history of the United States speaks to the Civil War’s magnitude and importance.