The Civil War: Lessons About Money, Morality, and Power

The Civil War was one of the most painful and important events in American history. Fought from 1861 to 1865, it was a war between the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy). While people sometimes say it was about “states’ rights,” the real cause of the war was slavery. Southern states depended on slavery to keep their farms and plantations running. Slavery brought huge profits, and many white Southerners were not willing to give that up.

One of the biggest lessons from the Civil War is that people are often willing to fight—and even die—for systems that benefit them financially, even if those systems hurt others. The South’s entire way of life was built around enslaving millions of Black people. Without slavery, their economy would collapse. Instead of choosing justice and equality, many white Southerners chose war to protect their wealth and power.

Many Confederate soldiers didn’t own slaves themselves. But they were still willing to fight for a system that kept slavery in place. Some believed lies told by wealthy landowners. Others feared losing their status in society. Some believed they were defending their “way of life,” even though it meant protecting a cruel and unfair system.

The Civil War teaches us that people can become so tied to money and power that they lose sight of right and wrong. The fight to end slavery came at a high cost—over 600,000 people died. But it also led to major changes, including the end of legal slavery in the United States.

Still, the fight for justice did not end with the Civil War. After slavery ended, many states passed unfair laws to keep Black Americans from having equal rights. This shows how deeply people will protect systems that benefit them—even if those systems are unfair.

Today, the lessons from the Civil War are still important. They remind us to look closely at who gains from unfair systems and to ask ourselves: are we standing up for what’s right, or just protecting what’s comfortable?

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Comprehension Questions

1. What was the main cause of the Civil War?
2. Why did the South want to keep slavery in place?
3. What does the article say about people fighting for financial gain?
4. Did most Confederate soldiers own slaves?
5. Why might poor Southerners have still supported slavery?
6. What major change happened after the Civil War ended?
7. What does the article say happened after slavery ended?
8. What does the phrase “tied to money and power” mean in this article?
9. How is the Civil War still relevant today?
10. What is one question the article asks readers to think about?

Tier 1 – Access Text (~220 words ≈ 650 L)

Money, Morality, and Power in the Civil War
The U.S. Civil War (1861-1865) was fought between the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy).

Main cause: slavery. Southern farms earned huge profits by forcing Black people to work without pay. Many white Southerners wanted to keep that money and power.

• Some poor white soldiers did not own slaves, yet they still fought. Why? Wealthy landowners spread lies, and many feared losing their place in society.
• Choosing “states’ rights” was really a way to protect slavery.

Big lesson: People will defend a system that hurts others if that system benefits them.

The war cost about 600,000 lives but ended legal slavery. Still, new unfair laws—called Black Codes—tried to limit freedom for Black Americans.

Think about it:

1. Who gained money from slavery?
2. Why did some non-slave owners fight for it?
3. Do we see people today defending unfair systems because they feel comfortable?

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Tier 2 – Core Text (~420 words ≈ 920 L)

Line numbers and margin stems added for close reading.

Money, Morality, and Power in the Civil War
(1) The Civil War, fought from 1861 to 1865, is often described as a conflict over “states’ rights,” but slavery lay at its heart. Southern plantations depended on enslaved labor, and that labor produced enormous wealth.
(2) Guiding stem → “The author argues…”
Wealthy planters feared that ending slavery would destroy their economy, so they framed the war as a fight for Southern “honor” and local control.

(3) Many Confederate soldiers never owned slaves. Why fight, then? Historian Stephanie McCurry notes that planter elites convinced poorer whites that slavery kept them above Black people in the social order. Protecting slavery meant protecting status.
(4) Guiding stem → “This detail shows…”
…
(9) After 600,000 deaths, the Union victory ended legal slavery, yet former Confederates quickly passed Black Codes, proving how tightly people cling to systems that benefit them.

Inquiry Prompt: Explain—in two evidence-based sentences—how financial self-interest overpowered moral concerns for many Southerners.

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Tier 3 – Stretch Text (~600 words ≈ 1050 L + enrichment)

Money, Morality, and Power in the Civil War
[Full original 600-word article here.]

Historiography Sidebar

Lost Cause Myth – After defeat, some Southern writers claimed the war was about constitutional freedom, not slavery. This narrative masked the economic motives discussed above and still influences public memory.

Primary-Source Extension

Harper’s Weekly, Aug. 5 1864, political cartoon “Instruments of War” (insert image).

Synthesis Prompt (150 words): Use the article and details from the cartoon to discuss how economic self-interest can shape national myths. Cite one phrase from each source.