The Lost Cause Analysis

The Lost Cause is a set of beliefs that favored the views of the South during the American Civil War and the age of Reconstruction. While many “Lost Cause” advocates stated that their work was not political, often the underlying motive of such advocates’ actions indeed centered around political values. The Lost Cause influenced people not to view the confederates’ rebellion as a fight to keep slavery but as a preservation of the Southern way of life and to view the Confederates as heroes who lost an unfair battle; however, advocates of the Lost Cause faced limitations and challenges from the poor postwar economy. Perhaps the biggest influence of the Lost Cause was a deemphasis on the central role and brutality of slavery in the South. The …show more content…
The Robert E. Lee Monument and the passage from the United Daughters of the Confederacy shared a similar type of audience, namely both sources were looked at solely by Confederate followers which was likely a significant method of unification for the South. The postcard of Lee exhibited the great pride felt by Confederate supporters which aided the preservation of Southern history(1). The passage from the UDC constitution stated the goals the organization hoped to achieve; therefore, by setting goals, the group was able call on the community and unify the south. Since the UDC was an organization made up entirely of female members, gender relations and equality likely slightly improved in the South through the Lost Cause as women began to lead events and activities(2). While the Lost Cause enabled various groups to work to improve the status of postwar south, factors such as a poor economy presented limitations and …show more content…
The sources by McNeel Marble Co. and a Confederate Veteran were similar in their subject matter, namely both discussed the hardships yielded by a tough economy. The advertisement implied that the Marble Company needed business and that the UDC did not necessarily have enough money to provide such business. Since slavery was outlawed, the South was struggling to turn around and renew their crashing economy. The southern states were forced to work together in ways they had never before(3). The letter by the Confederate veteran exploited the lack of celebration and gratitude given to the lower ranked war veterans compared to the higher ranked officials. Since the Confederacy was recouping from a huge war loss and their economic status was declining, it is likely organizations simply could not afford to commemorate any veterans besides the most highly