I. Origins of the Civil War: Antebellum southern exceptionalism : a new look at an old question ; Tom on the cross ; The war of southern aggression
II. The war and American society: The war that never goes away ; From limited to total war, 1861-1865 ; Race and class in the crucible of war ; The Glory story
III. Why the North won: Why did the Confederacy lose? ; How the Confederacy almost won ; Lee dissected ; Grant's final victory
IV. The enduring Lincoln: A new birth of freedom ; Who freed the slaves? ; "The whole family of man" : Lincoln and the last best hope abroad
V. Historians and their audiences: What's the matter with history?