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Back to Which Way, L.A.?

Which Way, L.A.?

The Fourth of July and the Civil War

The Fourth of July celebrates American independence, but it's also 150 years to the day since Abraham Lincoln asked for troops to restore the Union. The North and the South differed over what independence really meant, and they went to war over states' rights and civil rights, issues that still divide the nation today.

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By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

The Fourth of July celebrates American independence, but it's also 150 years to the day since Abraham Lincoln asked for troops to restore the Union. The North and the South differed over what independence really meant, and they went to war over states' rights and civil rights, issues that still divide the nation today. Was the Civil War more about slavery or economics? Was it worth what it cost? Could slavery have been ended by peaceful means? Was the war a historic struggle or a tragic mistake? Those questions help demonstrate how the Civil War has defined American culture and politics. We hear from five eminent historians with different points of view.

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Darrell Satzman

    Producer

  • KCRW placeholder

    Karen Radziner

    Managing Producer, To the Point & Which Way LA?

  • KCRW placeholder

    Christopher Phillips

    University of Cincinnati

  • KCRW placeholder

    David Goldfield

    University of North Carolina, Charlotte

  • KCRW placeholder

    Nell Painter

    author of “Old in Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over”

    News
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