Historians and Public Disagree Over Causes of Civil War

With the 150 year anniversary of the Civil War swirling about, it seems only appropriate to mention a resource or two associated with it. As an AP US History teacher from a southern state, class discussions concerning the causes of the Civil War still generate intense debate. PBS Newshour recently sat down with three historians to discuss why 48% of Americans still believe that states' rights was the primary cause of the Civil War. (SPOILER ALERT: Slavery was the primary cause of the Civil War. Period.) This report is not so much for classroom consumption but rather for lesson planning.

Civil War's Causes: Historians Largely United on Slavery, But Public Divided