It’s not just the Civil War. Most high school grads today would have a hard time identifying James Madison or Douglas McArthur.
About the only things they know about history are a few evils attributed to America. They know we owned slaves. They know we once didn’t let women vote. They know we were “imperialists”. They know about the Japanese internment and that we dropped the bomb on two Japanese cities. They know we (ahem) invaded “Vietnam”. Etcetera, etcetera.
Actually, make that Douglas MacArthur. I proved my own point! LOL! :-)
Your second paragraph is exactly how they understand our history. I had one fellow student tell me that the only terrorists in the world were Americans. I wanted to slap her flat.
i frequently get asked to talk to HS & college students (i sometimes teach a course or two on AI culture/the WBTS at our local community college, since i became semiretired.)about the WBTS from the "southern prospective".
SADLY, many students have NO idea WHEN the war was, WHAT it was about and/or WHO any of the leaders were.(even lincoln is just "the guy on the $5.oo bill". some don't even know that he was POTUS!)
fwiw, i "lay the blame" on the "pubic screwl edumakashun sistim" for their IGNORANCE. (i would bet a month's salary that MORE high school "students" know that britiney spears doesn't wear underpants than who GEORGE WASHINGTON was!)
NOTE to ALL: IF you have school-age children, get to the school & find out WHAT they are "teaching" your child. you will be HORRIFIED!!!
free dixie,sw