Below is an excerpt from the poem, O'Captain! My Captain!, by Walt Whitman. This was written after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and is a selfreflection on the loss of the Union leader. In a paragraph, talk about what was lost, during the Civil War. What do you think the thoughts of the people were after the war? Try to look at it from all sides: North, South, and slaves. Use evidence that occurred in the Civil War to back up your response.

Question

Below is an excerpt from the poem, O'Captain! My Captain!, by Walt Whitman. This was written after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and is a selfreflection on the loss of the Union leader. In a paragraph, talk about what was lost, during the Civil War. What do you think the thoughts of the people were after the war? Try to look at it from all sides: North, South, and slaves. Use evidence that occurred in the Civil War to back up your response.

Try to put yourself in the shoes of each side and ask yourself, "How would I feel?" This response is about personal reflection on the events and backing it up with evidence.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done, From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread
Walk the deck my Captain lies
Fallen cold and dead

5 sentences

Answer 1

During the Civil War, countless lives were lost on both sides of the conflict. Families were torn apart, cities were destroyed, and the nation was divided. The North mourned the loss of brave soldiers fighting for the preservation of the Union, while the South mourned the loss of their way of life and the devastation of their land. Slaves saw the war as a chance for freedom, but also faced immense hardship and loss during the conflict. After the war ended, there was a sense of relief, but also deep sorrow and a long road to reconciliation ahead for all sides involved.