150 Years Later: Remembering the American Civil War

Large majorities say country has benefitted from remaining unified; various ways of remembering the events considered not appropriate; White people in former Confederacy have different mind on flying the Confederate flag, designating Confederate History Month

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Harris Interactive

Mar 29, 2011, 03:05 ET

NEW YORK, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As we approach the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, a dark yet formative period in U.S. history, The Harris Poll asked Americans to think about appropriate ways to remember this time, as well as what they think about the legacy of the conflict.

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These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,566 adults surveyed online between January 17 and 24, 2011 by Harris Interactive.

Some states, particularly those in the South, have announced plans to remember and commemorate national as well as specific local events surrounding the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. When asked, however, a majority of Americans say that a parade with a mock-swearing in of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederacy (68%), and parades and events to celebrate secession and the Confederacy are not appropriate (58%) ways to remember the Civil War. In addition, majorities say that flying the Confederate flag (61%) or designating a Confederate History Month (53%) are also not appropriate. Americans who live in states which were neither formed nor recognized during the Civil War are most critical of these ideas (between 59% and 74% say each is not appropriate), yet adults who live in states which were part of the Confederacy are opposed to them as well (between 51% and 69% say each is not appropriate). However, White adults living in the former Confederacy have a different mind regarding flying the Confederate flag and designating a Confederate History Month—at least half say each is appropriate (51% and 57%, respectively). Most Americans, including those in the South and the former Confederacy (91% for all) say that reading President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is, on the other hand, appropriate.

The Legacy of the War

Although today there are various and even stark regional differences within the United States, over eight in ten Americans (82%) agree that the country has benefitted from remaining unified, with six in ten strongly agreeing (63%). The more education one has the more likely they are to agree, with three quarters of those with a high school diploma or less saying so (74%) compared to 87% who attended some college, 88% who graduated from college and 91% who have a post-graduate education. Further, only about a quarter say that the North would be better off today if the country had split (27%) while 45% say it would be worse off—29% are not at all sure. Opinions on the South's ability to have thrived as an independent nation emphasize the feelings that the U.S. has benefitted from remaining unified—over half of Americans say that if the country had split the South would be worse off today (57%). Notably, White adults in the former Confederacy agree—over half say both the North and South would be worse off today, if the country had split (52% and 51%, respectively).

To this day there are conflicting accounts of the War, which is somewhat underscored by the different names used to refer to it—most say the American Civil War, yet some call it the War between the States and others still refer to the War of Northern Aggression. Given the disparate perspectives, this Harris Poll sought to learn what Americans think each side was fighting for in the 1860s. Seven in ten Americans say that the North was fighting to preserve the Union (69%) while significantly fewer say it was fighting to abolish slavery (31%). There is less of a consensus about what the South was fighting for—54% say the South was fighting for states' rights and 46% say it was to preserve slavery.

So What?

Remembering such a complicated and nuanced period in history is equally important as it is complex. True understanding requires significant education, perspective and sensitivity. It may not be appropriate to celebrate or commemorate each piece of this history, but it is important to be knowledgeable about events and their surrounding circumstances so that learning and growth is possible.

TABLE 1A APPROPRIATE WAYS TO REMEMBER THE CIVIL WAR "The 150th anniversary of the American Civil War is approaching. Some states are planning events and demonstrations in remembrance. To what extent do you agree that each of the following is an appropriate way to remember the American Civil War?" Base: All adults
	Appropriate	Not appropriate
	%	%
A parade with a mock-swearing in of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederacy	32	68
Flying the Confederate flag	39	61
Reading President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address	91	9
Designating a "Confederate History Month"	47	53
Parades and events to celebrate secession and the Confederacy	42	58
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 1B APPROPRIATE WAYS TO REMEMBER THE CIVIL WAR "The 150th anniversary of the American Civil War is approaching. Some states are planning events and demonstrations in remembrance. To what extent do you agree that each of the following is an appropriate way to remember the American Civil War?" Summary of those saying "appropriate" Base: All adults
	TOTAL	Region				Civil War Affiliation			White Confederates
	TOTAL	East	Midwest	South	West	Union	Confederacy	Non-state	White Confederates
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
A parade with a mock-swearing in of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederacy	32	36	38	31	25	35	31	26	35
Flying the Confederate flag	39	44	36	43	32	39	42	33	51
Reading President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address	91	90	92	91	91	92	91	87	91
Designating a "Confederate History Month"	47	52	44	49	43	48	49	41	57
Parades and events to celebrate secession and the Confederacy	42	45	44	43	35	43	42	37	45
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 1C APPROPRIATE WAYS TO REMEMBER THE CIVIL WAR "The 150th anniversary of the American Civil War is approaching. Some states are planning events and demonstrations in remembrance. To what extent do you agree that each of the following is an appropriate way to remember the American Civil War?" Summary of those saying "not appropriate" Base: All adults
	TOTAL	Civil War Affiliation			White Confederates
	TOTAL	Union	Confederacy	Non-state	White Confederates
	%	%	%	%	%
A parade with a mock-swearing in of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederacy	68	65	69	74	65
Flying the Confederate flag	61	61	58	67	49
Reading President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address	9	8	9	13	9
Designating a "Confederate History Month"	53	52	51	59	43
Parades and events to celebrate secession and the Confederacy	58	57	58	63	55
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 2 AGREEMENT ON WHETHER THE U.S. HAS BENEFITTED FROM REMAINING UNIFIED "To what extent do you agree that the United States has benefitted from remaining unified?" Base: All adults
	TOTAL	Education				White Confederates
	TOTAL	H.S. or less	Some college	College grad	Post grad	White Confederates
	%	%	%	%	%	%
Agree (NET)	82	74	87	88	91	81
Strongly agree	63	54	66	70	78	59
Somewhat agree	19	20	21	18	12	22
Disagree (NET)	7	8	6	8	7	8
Somewhat disagree	4	4	3	5	2	5
Strongly disagree	3	3	3	3	6	3
Not at all sure	11	18	8	4	2	11
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 3A IF THE COUNTRY HAD SPLIT WOULD THE REGIONS BE BETTER OFF "To what extent do you believe that each region would be better off today if the country had split?" Base: All adults
	Better off (NET)	Much better off	Somewhat better off	Worse off (NET)	Somewhat worse off	Much worse off	Not at all sure
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
The North	27	12	15	45	17	27	29
The South	17	9	8	57	15	42	26
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 3B IF THE COUNTRY HAD SPLIT WOULD THE REGIONS BE BETTER OFF "To what extent do you believe that each region would be better off today if the country had split?" Summary of those saying "worse off" Base: All adults
	Total	White Confederates
	%	%
The North	45	52
The South	57	51
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 4 WHAT WAS THE NORTH FIGHTING FOR "Do you think that in the Civil War the North was mainly fighting to abolish slavery or to preserve the Union?" Base: All adults
	Total	White Confederates
	%	%
Mainly fighting to abolish slavery	31	29
Mainly fighting to preserve the Union	69	71
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 5 WHAT WAS THE SOUTH FIGHTING FOR "Do you think that in the Civil War the South was mainly fighting to preserve slavery or for states' rights?" Base: All adults
	Total	White Confederates
	%	%
Mainly fighting to preserve slavery	46	33
Mainly fighting for states' rights	54	67
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Methodology

This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between January 17 to 24, 2011 among 2,566 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of Harris Interactive.

J39369

Q830, 835, 840, 845, 850

The Harris Poll® #42, March 29, 2011

By Samantha Braverman, Senior Project Researcher, Harris Interactive

About Harris Interactive

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