Four American Presidents—But What Did They Have to Do With the Civil War?

Everyone recognizes that the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln are intrinsically bound together, but Lincoln alone did not contribute to the Civil War.  In fact, each of the first fifteen presidents played a part and planted seeds for the great struggle that came between 1861-1865—much of which still lingers in the USA even today.

"Four American Presidents (But What Did They Have to Do With the Civil War?)," the annual symposium of the Museum of the Confederacy, was co-sponsored and hosted by the Library of Virginia on Saturday, February 20, 2010. 

George Washington

Anne Sarah Rubin talked about President George Washington and how his career, thoughts, and actions relate to the origins of the Confederacy and the coming of the Civil War. The unresolved disagreements about the status of slavery and the nature of the federal union created situations that presaged the dissolution of the union in 1861 since its founding. Professor Rubin focused on the way that the image of President Washington was used to justify and legitimize actions. She responded to questions from members of the audience.
Anne Sarah Rubin is the author of A Shattered Nation: The Rise and Fall of the Confederacy, 1861-1868 and "Seventy-Six and Sixty-One: Confederates Remember the American Revolution."

Thomas Jefferson

Peter Onuf talked about President Thomas Jefferson and how his career, thoughts, and actions relate to the origins of the Confederacy and the coming of the Civil War. The unresolved disagreements about the status of slavery and the nature of the federal union created situations that presaged the dissolution of the union in 1861 since its founding. Professor Onuf talked about President Jefferson's soci-political philosophy of nationhood and contrasted it with the Southern philosophy. He responded to questions from members of the audience. Peter Onuf is the author of Jefferson's Empire: The Language of American Nationhood (University Press of Virginia, 2001) and editor of Jeffersonian Legacies (University Press of Virginia, 1993).

Andrew Jackson: 

William Freehling talked about President Andrew Jackson and how his career, thoughts, and actions relate to the origins of the Confederacy and the coming of the Civil War. The unresolved disagreements about the status of slavery and the nature of the federal union created situations that presaged the dissolution of the union in 1861 since its founding.

William Freehling, a senior fellow at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy, is the author of Prelude to Civil War: The Nullification Controversy in South Carolina, 1816-1836 and The Road to Disunion in two volumes (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2).

John Tyler

Edward Crapol talked about President John Tyler and how his career, thoughts, and actions relate to the origins of the Confederacy and the coming of the Civil War. The unresolved disagreements about the status of slavery and the nature of the federal union created situations that presaged the dissolution of the union in 1861 since its founding.

Edward Crapol is the author of John Tyler, the Accidental President, published by The University of North Carolina Press.