What is the Confederate monuments debate?
As protests against racism and police violence spread across the nation, demonstrators in at least six cities focused their anger on symbols of the Confederacy, seizing the opportunity to mar Confederate statues and monuments that have ignited debate for years.
Why taking down Confederate statues is important?
The statues represent the country’s history, no matter how complicated. Taking them down is to censor, whitewash, and potentially forget that history.
Does removing statues erase history?
So the question of history being lost, if statues or monuments are taken down, is a resounding yes. In fact, once a statue or monument is removed, it is hard to bring it back. However, history was being lost before monuments were taken down, in the sense of general lack of awareness.
Why are monuments being taken down?
Activists have long called for Confederate flags and symbols to be taken down, but the accelerated removal of statues was fueled by widespread protests against systemic racism and police brutality following Floyd’s death, with more people linking Confederate monuments with white supremacy, according to Erin L.
What was the end of the Civil War?
April 9, 1865
American Civil War/End dates
The war ended in Spring, 1865. Robert E. Lee surrendered the last major Confederate army to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. The last battle was fought at Palmito Ranch, Texas, on May 13, 1865.
What purpose do statues serve?
Most statues were erected to remind us of a significant event and to honour the contribution of a particular person to society.
Is there really a George Floyd statue?
A bronze statue of George Floyd (1973–2020), an African-American man who was murdered by a police officer during his arrest in Minneapolis, was completed by Stanley Watts and unveiled in 2021. It is situated outside Newark, New Jersey’s City Hall.
What was the real reason for the Civil War?
For nearly a century, the people and politicians of the Northern and Southern states had been clashing over the issues that finally led to war: economic interests, cultural values, the power of the federal government to control the states, and, most importantly, slavery in American society.