Americans cling to many misperceptions about the Civil War that get in the way of a solid understanding of the origins, progress, and outcome of the conflict. Gary Gallagher will discuss some of the most widely held by addressing four key questions. First, was United States victory inevitable because of an overwhelming advantage of men and material resources? Second, was Gettysburg the war's great turning point? Third, did the loyal citizenry of the United States make emancipation an equivalent goal to restoring the Union? Finally, was there a "lost moment" for genuine racial equality in the war's aftermath?