Gettysburg reenactors
Jonathan Kozowyk
Who are today’s Civil War enthusiasts? We recently asked a sampling of Monitor readers a variety of questions—including what got them interested in the nation’s greatest conflict and what they believe should be done with Confederate monuments still standing today.
What is your gender?
What sparked your interest in the Civil War?
Book: 27.6%
Movie or television show: 11.3%
Family stories: 8.3%
Trip: 18.0%
Teacher: 7.5%
Other: 27.3%
“My daughter’s 7th grade history project.”
On a scale of 1 to 10, do you consider yourself a Civil War history ___?
0 = Novice
5 = Enthusiast
10 = Expert
Average response: 6.7
Did your ancestors fight in the Civil War?
No: 45.7%
Yes, Union ancestor(s): 28.7%
Yes, Confederate ancestor(s): 10.8%
Yes, Union and Confederate ancestor(s): 14.8%
How many of your ancestors fought in the Civil War?
1: 14.3%
2: 17.2%
3: 7.5%
4: 4.2%
5: 2.2%
6 or more: 10.3%
Civil War ancestors
Benzie Area Historical Museum
How old were you when you became interested in the Civil War?
Have you ever attended a Civil War battle reenactment?
No: 40.0%
Yes, as a spectator: 54.2%
Yes, as a military reenactor: 10.9%
Yes, as a civilian reenactor: 2.7%
Photo of a liberated slave
Library of Congress
What do you believe was the root cause of the Civil War?
Slavery: 57.9%
States’ rights: 24.9%
Other: 17.2%
“Greedy government.”
Do you think the United States will ever see another Civil War?
0 = Very unlikely; 5 = Highly likely
Confederate monument being removed.
Bob Daemmrich/Alamy Stock Photo
Should Confederate monuments in public spaces remain standing or be taken down?
Leave them alone: 56.7%
Take them down: 10.3%
Not sure: 7.7%
Other: 25.3%
“Take them down at public buildings. Leave them standing in military parks, battlefields, and museums.”
Source
Results based on a survey of 522 Civil War Monitor magazine and newsletter readers in December 2017. Note: not all participants answered every question.
