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105 Civil War Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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The Civil War was a defining moment in American history, shaping the nation we know today. With its profound impact on politics, society, and the economy, it remains a fascinating subject for academic research and essay writing. If you're looking for inspiration for your next Civil War essay, we've compiled a list of 105 topic ideas and examples to get you started.

• The Causes of the American Civil War: Analyzing the underlying factors that led to the conflict.
• Abraham Lincoln's Role in the Civil War: Assessing Lincoln's leadership and decision-making during the war.
• The Impact of the Emancipation Proclamation: Examining the significance of Lincoln's proclamation on slavery.
• The Role of Women in the Civil War: Exploring the contributions and challenges faced by women during the war.
• African Americans in the Civil War: Evaluating the experiences of African American soldiers and their impact on the war effort.
• The Battle of Gettysburg: Analyzing the significance and consequences of this pivotal battle.
• The Military Strategies of the Civil War: Comparing and contrasting the strategies employed by the Union and Confederate armies.
• The Role of Technology in the Civil War: Investigating the impact of new technologies, such as railroads and telegraphs, on the war.
• The Role of Foreign Powers in the Civil War: Examining the involvement of European powers and their influence on the conflict.
• The Economic Consequences of the Civil War: Assessing the long-term economic effects of the war on the United States.
• The Role of Religion in the Civil War: Exploring the influence of religious beliefs and institutions on the conflict.
• Espionage and Intelligence in the Civil War: Investigating the use of spies and intelligence-gathering during the war.
• The Impact of Photography on the Civil War: Analyzing the role of photography in shaping public perception of the war.
• The Home Front during the Civil War: Examining the experiences and challenges faced by civilians during the war.
• The Battle of Antietam: Assessing the significance of this bloody battle and its impact on the war.
• The Role of Guerrilla Warfare in the Civil War: Exploring the tactics employed by irregular forces during the conflict.
• The Role of Native Americans in the Civil War: Investigating the participation and experiences of Native American tribes during the war.
• The Role of Religion in the Confederate States: Analyzing the influence of religion on the Confederate cause.
• The Impact of Disease on the Civil War: Examining the role of diseases, such as dysentery and smallpox, in the war's outcome.
• The Battle of Bull Run: Assessing the significance of the first major battle of the Civil War.
• The Aftermath of the Civil War: Analyzing the political, social, and economic consequences of the war's end.
• The Role of Abraham Lincoln's Assassination in Shaping Reconstruction: Exploring how Lincoln's assassination affected the post-war period.
• The Role of Slavery in the Southern Economy: Investigating the economic dependence on slavery in the Confederate states.
• The Impact of Sherman's March to the Sea: Assessing the consequences of General Sherman's devastating campaign.
• The Confederate Constitution: Analyzing the similarities and differences between the Confederate and United States constitutions.
• The Role of Women as Spies during the Civil War: Investigating the contributions of female spies to the war effort.
• The Role of Border States in the Civil War: Exploring the challenges faced by states that remained loyal to the Union but allowed slavery.
• The Battle of Vicksburg: Assessing the significance of this Union victory in the Western Theater.
• The Political Leadership of Jefferson Davis: Analyzing Davis's presidency and its impact on the Confederate cause.
• The Role of Railroads in the Civil War: Investigating the importance of rail transportation for both the Union and Confederate armies.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Native American Tribes: Examining the consequences of the war for Native American lands and tribes.
• The Battle of Shiloh: Assessing the significance of this bloody battle in Tennessee.
• The Role of Civil War Prisons: Analyzing the conditions and treatment of prisoners on both sides of the conflict.
• The Role of Politics in the Union Army: Investigating the influence of politics on military appointments and operations.
• The Impact of the Civil War on American Literature: Examining how the war shaped the literary works of the time.
• The Battle of Chancellorsville: Assessing the significance of this Confederate victory and the death of General Stonewall Jackson.
• The Confederate Navy: Analyzing the role and effectiveness of the Confederate Navy in the war.
• The Role of Women as Nurses during the Civil War: Investigating the contributions and challenges faced by women in the nursing profession.
• The Impact of Draft Riots during the Civil War: Examining the social unrest and violence caused by the draft.
• The Battle of Fredericksburg: Assessing the significance of this Union defeat and its impact on the war.
• The Reconstruction Era: Analyzing the challenges and successes of the Reconstruction period after the war.
• The Role of Foreign Diplomacy during the Civil War: Investigating the attempts by both the Union and Confederacy to gain international support.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Native American Identity: Examining how the war affected Native American cultural and social traditions.
• The Battle of Chickamauga: Assessing the significance of this Confederate victory in Georgia.
• The Role of Medical Advancements during the Civil War: Analyzing the impact of new medical techniques and knowledge on the war's outcome.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Westward Expansion: Investigating how the war influenced the settlement of the Western frontier.
• The Battle of Cold Harbor: Assessing the significance of this Union defeat in Virginia.
• The Role of African American Women during the Civil War: Exploring the contributions and experiences of African American women in the war effort.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Native American Treaties: Examining how the war affected Native American land rights and treaties.
• The Battle of Stones River: Assessing the significance of this Union victory in Tennessee.
• The Role of Propaganda during the Civil War: Analyzing the use of propaganda and media manipulation by both sides of the conflict.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Immigration: Investigating how the war influenced immigration patterns and attitudes toward immigrants.
• The Battle of Fort Donelson: Assessing the significance of this Union victory in Tennessee.
• The Role of the Telegraph in the Civil War: Analyzing the impact of telegraph communication on military operations and command.
• The Impact of the Civil War on the U.S. Constitution: Examining how the war shaped constitutional interpretation and amendments.
• The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House: Assessing the significance of this Confederate victory in Virginia.
• The Role of African American Soldiers in the Civil War: Investigating the experiences and contributions of black soldiers in the Union Army.
• The Impact of Civil War Monuments and Memorials: Analyzing the controversy surrounding Confederate monuments and their place in public memory.
• The Battle of Fort Sumter: Assessing the significance of the first shots fired in the Civil War.
• The Role of Military Prisons during the Civil War: Investigating the conditions and treatment of prisoners in camps such as Andersonville and Elmira.
• The Impact of Civil War Photography on Public Opinion: Examining how photographs of the war influenced public perception and support.
• The Role of Propaganda during the Civil War: Analy

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Civil War Essays

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The chief causes of the Civil War in the United States were slavery and the economic instability of that time. The war was between the North (the Union) and the South (the Confederacy), where more than 13% of African Americans were enslaved. Abraham Lincoln was elected president due to his anti-slavery expansion rhetoric. The time is considered a period of nation formation.

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Essay on American Civil War

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The American Civil War, a defining moment in the nation’s history, was not only a clash of arms but also a battlefield of ideas and ideologies. It was a war that forever changed the social, political, and economic landscape of America and significantly influenced American thinking. This essay delves into the multifaceted aspects of the Civil War, exploring its causes, course, consequences, and the profound impact it had on American thought and society.

The Genesis of Conflict

The seeds of the Civil War were sown long before the first shot was fired at Fort Sumter in 1861. The primary cause was the deep-seated division over slavery. The Northern states, advocating for abolition, clashed ideologically with the Southern states, where slavery was integral to the agricultural economy. The war was also about states’ rights and the struggle for power between the federal government and the states.

Ideological Divisions and Their Impact

The ideological divisions that culminated in the American Civil War had a profound impact on the nation’s history and development. Here are key aspects of these divisions and their consequences:

• Slavery and States’ Rights: The primary ideological division revolved around the institution of slavery and the question of states’ rights. The Southern states argued for the right to maintain slavery as an essential part of their economic and social structure. They believed in states’ rights, asserting that individual states had the authority to decide their own policies, including those related to slavery.
• Abolitionism and Anti-Slavery Movements: On the opposing side, the Northern states saw slavery as a moral evil and sought its abolition. Abolitionist movements gained momentum, advocating for the immediate emancipation of enslaved individuals. Prominent figures like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman played crucial roles in the anti-slavery movement.
• Sectionalism: These ideological differences between the North and the South created deep sectionalism, with each region developing distinct economic, social, and political identities. The North embraced industrialization and modernization, while the South’s agrarian economy depended heavily on slave labor.
• Compromises and Tensions: Several compromises, such as the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850, were attempted to ease tensions between the North and the South. However, these compromises ultimately proved unsustainable as the nation’s divisions deepened.
• Election of Abraham Lincoln: The election of Abraham Lincoln as President in 1860, representing the anti-slavery Republican Party, further exacerbated tensions. Southern states viewed his election as a threat to their interests, leading to secession.
• Outbreak of War: The ideological divisions reached a breaking point when the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter in April 1861, marking the beginning of the Civil War. The war became a brutal and protracted conflict with significant loss of life.
• Long-Term Impact: The ideological divisions and the Civil War continue to shape American society and politics. Issues related to race, civil rights, and the role of the federal government remain central to the nation’s ongoing dialogue and struggles.

The Course of the War

The Civil War was marked by bloody battles, strategic military campaigns, and significant figures whose decisions shaped the course of the conflict. Key battles like Gettysburg and Antietam were not just military engagements but also turning points that shifted the war’s momentum. The leadership of individuals like President Abraham Lincoln, General Ulysses S. Grant, and Confederate General Robert E. Lee played crucial roles in the war’s outcome.

The Transformation of American Society

The Civil War brought profound changes:

• Emancipation Proclamation : Lincoln’s proclamation in 1863 declared freedom for slaves in Confederate states, reshaping the war’s moral and political dimensions.
• Economic Changes : The war accelerated industrialization in the North, while the South’s economy, heavily reliant on slavery, was devastated.
• Political Reconstruction : Post-war, the Reconstruction era attempted to integrate the Southern states back into the Union and redefine civil rights, especially for freed slaves.

The War’s Impact on American Thought

• National Identity : The war forged a stronger national identity, transitioning the perception from a collection of states to a unified nation.
• Concepts of Freedom and Equality : The abolition of slavery redefined American values regarding freedom and equality, although the struggle for racial equality continued long after.
• Literature and Art : The Civil War influenced American literature and art, with works like Walt Whitman’s poetry and the paintings of Winslow Homer capturing the era’s essence.

Social and Cultural Ramifications

The war altered the social fabric of America. It led to a significant loss of life and left many families bereaved. Women played new roles, contributing to the war effort and managing homes and businesses in the absence of men. African Americans, both enslaved and free, actively participated in the war, with many fighting for the Union, shaping their future in American society.

The Legacy of the Civil War

The legacy of the Civil War is complex and enduring. It resolved the issue of secession but left unresolved questions about the integration of African Americans into American society. The war also set precedents in terms of constitutional interpretation, federal authority, and civil rights.

Modern Reflections

Today, the Civil War is a subject of extensive study and debate, offering lessons on unity, diversity, and the importance of addressing societal issues. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of division and the value of reconciliation.

In conclusion, The American Civil War was more than a historical event; it was a crucible in which the American identity was reshaped. Its impact on American thinking and society was profound, setting the course for future generations. As students explore this topic, they engage with a critical period that not only defined a nation’s past but also continues to influence its present and future. Understanding the Civil War is key to understanding America itself.

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Understanding the Sierra Leone Civil War

This essay about the Sierra Leone Civil War (1991-2002) examines the conflict’s roots in governance grievances, economic exploitation through “blood diamonds,” and identity issues. It highlights the brutal tactics of the Revolutionary United Front, international peacekeeping efforts, and the war’s devastating impact on society. The essay also discusses post-war reconciliation efforts, including the Lomé Peace Accord and the establishment of the Special Court and Truth and Reconciliation Commission, emphasizing Sierra Leone’s ongoing recovery and the resilience of its people.

How it works

The Sierra Leone Civil War, spanning from 1991 to 2002, stands as a poignant chapter in modern African history, marked by profound human suffering and complex socio-political dynamics. Rooted in a confluence of historical, economic, and political factors, this conflict left an indelible impact on the nation and its people.

At its core, the conflict was driven by deep-seated grievances over governance, resource distribution, and identity. The Revolutionary United Front (RUF), led by Foday Sankoh, emerged as a key actor, drawing support from marginalized rural populations disillusioned with the central government’s neglect and corruption.

Initially beginning as a rebellion against the government, the RUF quickly escalated its tactics to include brutal acts of violence against civilians, including mutilations and widespread use of child soldiers.

Economic factors also fueled the conflict, with the illegal trade of diamonds – famously termed “blood diamonds” – playing a significant role in financing rebel activities. This illicit trade not only sustained the RUF’s war efforts but also perpetuated a cycle of violence as various factions vied for control over resource-rich territories.

International involvement in the Sierra Leone Civil War added another layer of complexity. The United Nations and regional organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) intervened with peacekeeping missions aimed at restoring stability and supporting the beleaguered government forces. These efforts, although challenging and at times controversial, underscored the global community’s recognition of the conflict’s humanitarian toll and regional destabilization.

The war’s impact on Sierra Leonean society was devastating. Tens of thousands lost their lives, many more were displaced internally or fled as refugees, and infrastructure lay in ruins. The psychological scars endured by survivors, particularly victims of atrocities such as amputations and sexual violence, continue to resonate within Sierra Leonean communities today.

However, amidst the devastation, the end of the conflict in 2002 marked a turning point. The signing of the Lomé Peace Accord and subsequent disarmament efforts paved the way for a fragile peace and the beginning of a long process of national reconciliation and reconstruction. The establishment of the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) were crucial steps towards accountability and healing, aiming to address grievances and foster a renewed sense of national unity.

In conclusion, the Sierra Leone Civil War remains a stark reminder of the complexities underlying conflicts in Africa, characterized by a lethal combination of internal grievances, external influences, and economic exploitation. While the scars of war are profound and lasting, Sierra Leone’s journey towards peace and stability offers hope and valuable lessons for conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction efforts worldwide. As the nation continues to rebuild, the resilience and determination of its people stand as a testament to the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity.

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What's Project 2025? Unpacking the Pro-Trump Plan to Overhaul US Government

For several months, we received a flood of reader inquiries asking if project 2025 was a real effort to “reshape america.” here’s the answer., nur ibrahim, aleksandra wrona, published july 3, 2024.

• Project 2025 is a conservative coalition's plan for a future Republican U.S. presidential administration. If voters elect the party's presumed nominee, Donald Trump, over Democrat Joe Biden in November 2024, the coalition hopes the new president will implement the plan immediately.
• The sweeping effort centers on a roughly 1,000-page document  that gives the executive branch more power, reverses Biden-era policies and specifies numerous department-level changes.
• People across the political spectrum fear such actions are precursors to authoritarianism and have voiced concerns over the proposal's recommendations to reverse protections for LGBTQ+ people, limit abortion access, stop federal efforts to mitigate climate change — and more.
• The Heritage Foundation — a conservative think tank operated by many of Trump's current and former political allies — is leading the initiative. President Kevin Roberts once said  the project's main goals are "institutionalizing Trumpism" and getting rid of unelected bureaucrats who he believes wield too much political influence.
• The Trump campaign's goals and proposals within Project 2025 overlap. However, the former president has attempted to distance himself from the initiative. In a July 5, 2024, post on Truth Social , he wrote: " I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them."
• In other words, it's unknown if, or to what extent, Trump's campaign is talking to leaders of the initiative. Many political analysts and the Biden administration believe Project 2025 is a good indication of Trump's vision for a second term.

Here at Snopes, the internet's premiere fact-checking site, we believe in unbiased, fact-driven reporting to help guide people's everyday lives. And when it comes to voting in elections, we hold that responsibility high. We call out candidates' mistruths, contextualize campaign claims and pull back the curtain on efforts shaping political parties' agendas. Our hope is to give voters the knowledge they need to mark ballots without any distorted sense of reality. Below is an example of that work — a months-long analysis of an all-encompassing effort to reshape the American bureacracy following the 2024 U.S. presidential election. If you'd like to support this type of journalism,  we'd love your help .   —  Jessica Lee ,  senior assignments editor,  snopes.com

As the U.S. 2024 presidential election nears, U.S. President Joe Biden's reelection campaign has been sending foreboding emails to supporters, invoking "Trump's Project 2025" to tap into anxieties over another four years with Donald Trump in the White House and to raise campaign money.

According to some of the emails, "Project 2025" calls for proposals that would separate "mothers away from their children," a reference to border policies during Trump's administration, or result in "higher housing costs and rampant discrimination."

The Biden campaign is not alone in its concern over the policy initiative. Critics including legal experts and former government employees have described Project 2025 as a precursor to authoritarianism — albeit a difficult one to implement — and a wave of social media  posts  are expressing  fear over the initiative, calling it a " fascist " and " extremist " plan for Trump to " reshape America." Numerous reports have also called this conservative effort to reshape the government unprecedented in its scale. 

But what exactly is Project 2025? Are the messages from critics rooted in fact or fear-mongering? What should people know about the alleged policy plan? Over the past year, Snopes has received a flood of inquiries from readers asking if Project 2025 was real and what it entails, and if American politicians plan to implement it.

Under the leadership of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Project 2025 is indeed a real, all-encompassing initiative to transform the American bureaucracy if, or when, a conservative president takes over the White House. Project leaders are hoping to put it into motion as early as November 2024 if voters elect former President Donald Trump. 

Politico once described the policy initiative as an effort to make a "MAGA" conservative government by reshaping how federal employees work, and the  creators themselves have framed it as a push to institutionalize " Trumpism " —  that is,  Trump's political agenda — at every level of federal government. On Truth Social, a Trump-owned social media platform, users have described it as a return to "constitutional" values.

In June 2024, House Democrats launched a task force to make plans for a potential future in which Project 2025's recommendations could become reality.

The growing interest in Project 2025 coincided with the progression of Trump's presidential campaign. A  June 2024  NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found the presidential race to be extremely tight, with Biden and Trump almost tied, echoing a months-long trend of national surveys. ( Historically , polls at this stage of campaigns are not indicative of actual election outcomes.)

Leaders and supporters of the initiative declined to be interviewed for this story or did not respond to Snopes' inquiries.

What is Project 2025?

Project 2025 has four parts, according to its website : 

• A roughly 1,000-page document titled " Mandate for Leadership 2025: The Conservative Promise ."  That report details supporters' proposals for federal departments, as well as their overall agenda for a conservative government.
• A purported transition plan for federal departments. Project 2025 leaders say they have a 180-day transition plan for each federal agency to quickly adapt to a Trump presidency should he win in November. As of this writing, the contents of that plan were unknown.
• A new database that aims to fill federal jobs with conservative voices. Spencer Chretien, associate director of Project 2025, once called the online system to screen potential new hires the " conservative LinkedIn ." It's currently active on the Project's website.
• A new system to train potential political appointees . Called the " Presidential Administration Academy ," the system aims to teach skills for "advancing conservative ideas" as soon as new hires join the administration. The lessons touch on everything from budget-making to media relations and currently consist of 30- to 90-minute online sessions. Project 2025 leaders say they will host in-person sessions as the election nears. 

There's reportedly another facet to Project 2025 that's not detailed on its website: an effort to draft executive orders for the new president. According to a November 2023 report by The Washington Post that cites anonymous sources, Jeffrey Clark (a former Trump official who sought to use the Justice Department to help Trump's efforts to overturn 2020 election results) is leading that work, and the alleged draft executive orders involve the Insurrection Act — a law last updated in 1871 that allows the president to deploy the military for domestic law enforcement. Speaking to the Post, a Heritage spokesperson denied that accusation. (We were unable to independently corroborate The Washington Post's reporting due to its anonymous sourcing and our unsuccessful attempts to interview members of The Heritage Foundation.)

While many of Project 2025's proposals simply need the president's executive order to become reality, others would need Congressional approval, even as the Project seeks to expand presidential authority. In other words, lawmakers would need to write and approve legislation that details the changes to the government's existing structure, or establishes new systems. Come November, voters will choose who will fill  435 seats in the Republican-led House and 34 positions  in the Senate.

Key Points of The Roughly 1,000-Page Document

Speaking to Politico , Russell Vought, who served as the director of the Office of Management and Budget under Trump and is now a leading adviser for Project 2025, once described the effort as "more systematic than it is just about Trump," adding, "We have to be thinking mechanically about how to take these institutions over" in reference to federal departments.

Project 2025's document lays out in great detail how supporters want to do that. As of early June 2024, about 855,000 people had downloaded the document, The New York Times reported . 

Among its numerous recommendations, it calls for the following (in no particular order):

• Changing how the FBI operates. According to the plan, the agency is "completely out of control," and the next conservative administration should restore its reputation by stopping investigations that are supposedly "unlawful or contrary to the national interest." Also, the document calls for legislation that would eliminate term limits for the FBI's director and require that person to answer to the president. 
• Eliminating the Department of Education. The plan explicitly proposes, "Federal education policy should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated." The report also calls for bans on so-called " critical race theory" (CRT) and "gender ideology" lessons in public schools, asking for legislation that would require educators who share such material to register as sex offenders and be imprisoned. 
• Defunding the Department of Justice. Additionally, the document proposes prosecuting federal election-related charges as criminal, not civil, cases. Otherwise, the document says, "[Voter] registration fraud and unlawful ballot correction will remain federal election offenses that are never appropriately investigated and prosecuted." 
• Reversing Biden-era policies attempting to reduce climate change. The document's authors call for increasing the country's reliance on fossil fuels and withdrawing from efforts to address the climate crisis — such as "offices, programs, and directives designed to advance the Paris Climate Agreement ." 
• Stopping cybersecurity efforts to combat mis- and disinformation. The document recommends the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to stop its efforts to curtail online propaganda campaigns, arguing the federal government should not make judgment calls on what's true and what isn't.
• Changing immigration policies. Authors want the federal government to deprioritize DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), the program that temporarily delays the deportation of immigrants without documentation who came to the U.S. as children; phase out temporary work-visa programs that allow seasonal employers to hire foreign workers; impose financial punishments on so-called "sanctuary cities" that do not follow federal immigration laws, and divert tax dollars toward security at America's border with Mexico. (While the Biden campaign claims Project 2025 calls for "ripping mothers away from their children" at the border, there's no explicit mention of separating families. Rather, it calls for stronger enforcement of laws governing the detainment of immigrants with criminal records and restricting an existing program that tracks people in deportation proceedings instead of incarcerating them. In some cases, those changes could possibly play a role in border control agents detaining a parent while their child continues with immigration proceedings.)
• Restricting access to abortion. The plan wants the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop promoting abortion as health care. Additionally, Project 2025 recommends the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to stop promoting, and approving, requests for manufacturing abortion pills. "Alternative options to abortion, especially adoption, should receive federal and state support," the document states.
• Removing LGBTQ+ protections. The plan calls for abolishing the Gender Policy Council , a Biden-created department within the White House that aims to "advance equity in government policy for those who face discrimination." Also, the proposal wants the federal government to remove terms such as "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" from records and policies, as well as rescind policies that prohibit discrimination on the basis of "sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, and sex characteristics."
• Cutting ties completely with China. For instance, the document advocates for restricting people's access to TikTok because of its China-based parent company; prohibiting Confucius Institutes, cultural institutions at colleges and universities funded by the Chinese government, and blocking other Chinese entities from partnering with U.S. companies. 
• Reversing protections against discrimination in housing. The Biden campaign emails reference a portion of the document that calls for repealing a decades-old policy—strengthened under Biden—that attempts to prevent discrimination and reduce racial disparities in housing. Project 2025 also recommends making it easier to sell off homes used for public housing — a benefit to real estate developers — but result in fewer cheap housing options for poor and low-income families. 

Here's a PDF of the full report :

(www.project2025.org)

Changing Federal Job Classifications 

To execute the above-listed objectives, the roughly 1,000-page document calls for a federal government operated by political appointees equipped to "carry out the President's desires." 

Put another way, Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, said in a July 2023 interview with The New York Times that Project 2025 leaders want to dismantle independent federal agencies that do not answer to the president. Then, they want to fill positions with people who subscribe to conservative politics — including jobs that are currently merit-based hires, not politically appointed.

Under the current system, the federal government's administrative sector is made up of two employee groups: political appointees and career civil servants. When a new administration takes over the Oval Office, it selects similarly minded people to fill high-ranking positions (political appointees), and those people leave the jobs when a new president takes over. According to the Brookings Institution , a public policy think tank, around 4,000 political appointees run the executive branch.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of positions that run day-to-day operations are hired through a merit-based system — that is, a hiring process that is designed to prioritize applicants' specialized expertise or experience , not their personal beliefs or affiliations. Those people are career civil servants. 

Project 2025 proposes turning up to 50,000 career civil servant jobs into politically appointed positions. 

To do that, Project 2025 wants the president to reissue Schedule F, a Trump-era executive order that Biden rescinded when he became president. Generally speaking, the order would recategorize career civil servants into at-will employees, giving higher-level workers the ability to terminate employment for any reason without warning and fill those jobs with new people.

Additionally, Project 2025 recommends revamping the existing appeals process for employee dismissals, arguing the current system prevents managers from firing or hiring the right employees. 

The plan also proposes a freeze on hiring top-career civil service positions at the beginning of the administration. By doing so, the plan argues, the new administration will prevent today's administration's leaders (later on "outgoing" political appointees) from "burrowing-in"— that is, hiring left-leaning career bureaucrats across federal agencies for the purpose of undermining the next president. 

Keeping Track of Potential Employees' Opinions

In addition to expanding government leaders' abilities to hire and fire at will, Project 2025 calls for a new federal database to gather information on potential new hires. The database contains people's answers to questions on social issues , such as abortion and immigration, allowing for department leaders to easily fill job vacancies with applicants who lean conservative.

"Our current executive branch was conceived of by liberals for the purpose of promulgating liberal policies," John  McEntee , who is leading Project 2025's personnel database project, told The New York Times in mid-2023, citing then-U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (who was a Democrat) 1930s New Deal as the last major reorientation of the government. "There is no way to make the existing structure function in a conservative manner. It's not enough to get the personnel right. What's necessary is a complete system overhaul." 

By submitting resumes and answering questionnaires , applicants sign up to be vetted by Project 2025 leaders. According to the questionnaire , participants answer whether they "agree" or "disagree" with statements such as, "Life has a right to legal protection from conception to natural death," and "The U.S. should increase legal immigration."

If the participants pass that screening, Project 2025 intends to recommend them to department leaders for hiring. (We are unable to determine what would happen with applicants' data if Trump does not win the 2024 election, or if his potential administration does not want to use it.)

Project 2025 leaders partnered with technology company Oracle to set up the system, according to The New York Times . Several thousand potential recruits had applied, as of April 2023. 

Former presidents have established similar systems, including Barack Obama, according to Kevin Kosar, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right public policy think tank. "They [The Obama administration] created a massive online jobs bank , where you could apply."

Also, during Obama's first term (January 2009 - January 2017), his administration required extensive vetting of applicants for high-ranking, politically appointed positions. Like Project 2025's program, that process included a questionnaire. That form asked participants to elaborate on past public statements, social media posts and potential conflicts of interests, as well as share things about their personal lives , like whether they own guns. (We found no evidence of the Obama administration circulating a similar questionnaire during his second term.)

Asked about that Obama-era questionnaire, a Biden aide said it was not comparable to Project 2025's system. The latter was a "loyalty test" to Trump, the aide said, while Obama's survey was more of a background check.

Trump Hasn't Publicly Endorsed Project 2025

Many former Trump administration members and current allies are working on the initiative. 

For example, the Center for Renewing America (CRA) — a think tank that formed in 2021 with ties to Trump through its founder, Russell Vought — is a "coalition partner." Vought was the director of the Office of Management and Budget when Trump was president. Should Project 2025 be a part of the next presidential administration, Vought will be in charge of implementing  its proposals, according to Politico. (In November 2023, The Washington Post reported he was in regular contact with Trump and could be a candidate for a high-ranking position in his potential future administration.) Also, Vought is policy director for the 2024 Republican National Convention's Platform Committee.

Reportedly , some people affiliated with Project 2025 are assisting Trump's reelection campaign behind the scenes.

(The groups that conceptualized, or are currently pushing, Project 2025 include a number of former Trump administration members and current allies.)

However, in terms of public-facing actions, Trump hasn't officially connected himself to the initiative. In speeches at campaign rallies and interviews, he hasn't mentioned Project 2025, and, on July 5, 2024 , he attempted to publicly distance himself by posting on Truth Social (his social media site):

I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.

Trump's campaign is at the very least aware of the initiative. Campaign officials once told Politico Project 2025's goals to restructure government, which are outlined in a publicly available document , indeed align with Trump's campaign promises.

But in a November 2023 statement, the Trump campaign said: "The efforts by various non-profit groups are certainly appreciated and can be enormously helpful. However, none of these groups or individuals speak for President Trump or his campaign." Without naming Project 2025, they said all policy statements from "external allies" are just "recommendations."

Concurrently, in an interview with the conservative outlet The Daily Wire , a Project 2025 representative said the Trump campaign and Project are separate "for now."  McEntee , a former Trump staffer and leader of Project 2025's personnel database project, said : 

I think the candidate and the campaign need to keep their eye on the ball. They need to be totally focused on winning. We're totally focused on what happens after [...] Obviously, there will need to be coordination and the president and his team will announce an official transition this summer, and we're gonna integrate a lot of our work with them. 

That said, given overlap between Project 2025's proposals and the Trump campaign's agenda , political analysts and the Biden campaign believe the coalition's effort is a good indication of Trump's vision for a second term. Among the similarities are proposals to change how the administration fills tens of thousands of government jobs and overhaul  the DOJ. According to The Heritage Foundation's own reporting, Trump adopted and seriously considered about two-thirds of the organization's policy prescriptions in 2018, for example.

In an interview with Snopes, James Singer, a Biden campaign spokesperson, said:

Project 2025 is the extreme policy and personnel playbook for Trump's second term that should scare the hell out of any American voter. The Trump team's pathetic denials fall flat when Project 2025 staff and leadership are saying they are connected to the Trump team, leading the RNC policy platform and part of Trump's debate prep, campaign, and inner circle.

But the extent to which Project 2025 leaders and Trump campaign officials are communicating is unclear. According to Kosar, at the American Enterprise Institute, no one outside of the two circles knows how closely they're working together. "[What] is the level of coordination? We have no idea." 

From the view of Cecilia Esterline, an immigration research analyst at the Niskanen Center, a think tank  with libertarian-right roots, Project 2025 is a good indicator of Trump's plans for a potential second term. "Given the people involved putting their names on this and the author portions of this report, and the success of [past] implementation, it's a good indicator of where Trump is at."

The Forces Behind Project 2025

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts launched Project 2025 in April 2022, a few months before Trump officially announced his reelection campaign.

Since then, the number of groups backing the initiative has grown. As of now, Project 2025's advisory board and so-called "coalition partners" include: the Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI), a nonprofit that aims to connect conservative applicants to congressional jobs and is led by Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows; Turning Point USA, a far-right student advocacy group that is led by Charlie Kirk; America First Legal , a legal advocacy group that supports conservative-backed lawsuits and is led by Trump stalwart Stephen Miller. (According to a June 2024 Politico report, Miller was part of private meetings with Trump to help him prepare for upcoming televised debates against Biden.) 

Furthermore, in May 2024, Reuters interviewed what the news outlet described as unnamed Trump allies working on a plan to restructure the Department of Justice (DOJ) and fill currently nonpartisan jobs there with people who identify as conservatives. While the allies group wasn't named, Reuters reported it was tied to Project 2025. 

Lastly, many authors of the roughly 1,000-page document outlining Project 2025's policy proposals have connections to Trump. They include Ben Carson , William Perry Pendley , Jonathan Berry , Diana Furchtgott-Roth , Rick Dearborn , Adam Candeub , Ken Cuccinelli , Mandy Gunasekara , Dennis Dean Kirk , Gene Hamilton , Christopher Miller , Bernard L. McNamee , Mora Namdar , Peter Navarro , Roger Severino , Paul Dans , Kevin Roberts , among others. 

These Types of Pre-Election Efforts Aren't Uncommon

In the months or years before U.S. presidential elections, it's routine for nonprofit research groups to prepare plans for a potential presidential transition, according to Landon Storrs, a political history professor at the University of Iowa. 

And, according to Kosar, numerous think tanks want Trump's ear as he plans his potential return to the White House. "Whenever there is a new executive coming into the White House, [many] groups are trying to get in there."

According to the Heritage Foundation's website , the organization mostly operates on individual donations and does not take money from the government. However, how exactly it divvies up its money for Project 2025 was unclear. The New York Times reported Project 2025 was a $22 million operation.

Project 2025 authors built their proposals on an idea popular during former President Ronald Reagan's time: the "unitary executive theory." That's the belief that Article II of the U.S. Constitution gives the president complete power over the federal bureaucracy and all levels of government report to him. 

In 1980, the Heritage Foundation developed similar policy prescriptions for Reagan, who was a presidential candidate at the time. Some of the organization's recommendations aligned with Reagan's campaign promises , and, when he later assumed office, he put the ideas to action. Heritage once described its effort as putting "the conservative movement and Reagan on the same page."

However, according to Politico , the present-day initiative by the Heritage Foundation was more "ambitious" than any other such proposal. The New York Times  said Project 2025 was operating at "a scale never attempted before in conservative politics." Its efforts are a contrast to the 1930s Democrat-led New Deal under then-U.S. President Roosevelt, which gave the federal government an unprecedented role in social and economic affairs on the belief that it would get the country out of the Great Depression.

Critics' Logistical Concerns, Worries

If some of Project 2025's ideas turn into formal policy recommendations or laws, experts in government and history have concerns over how they could be implemented. Such drastic changes would come with big logistical hurdles and have a ripple effect on agencies overseeing day-to-day governance, several such experts said. 

For example, Project 2025's proposal to reclassify tens of thousands of federal workers' positions — that is, change career bureaucrats into jobs that can be politically appointed — would have widespread effects, according to Storrs, of the University of Iowa. She said:

When [Project 2025's] intention is to install officials based on their loyalty to the president rather than on their qualifications, [the result] is even more damaging to effective administration. [...] The President already has authority over who heads the agencies. But below them, people are simply trying to collect taxes, get social security checks out — there is a lot that shouldn't be disrupted.

Kosar, of the American Enterprise Institute, expressed concern over skills required for jobs that aren't currently appointed. "These positions have a serious degree of expertise attached. You can't just plug in a private sector businessman into the department of transportation. It's going to be a challenge to match the people and the competencies and the expertise." 

Esterline, the Niskanen Center analyst, said with presidential administrations changing every four to eight years, government agencies rely on the expertise of continually employed civil servants — employees with institutional knowledge — to make the transitions as smooth as possible. "[If] we suddenly disrupt that balance of political appointees to civil servants, it will be a much rougher transition." 

Among other aspects of Project 2025, Esterline is attempting to raise the alarm on its prescriptions for specific regulatory changes. "[Project 2025] is a meticulous outline of how they will crumple the system simultaneously through minute changes."

Meanwhile, some former government officials are particularly concerned about the initiative's plans for the DOJ and FBI. For instance, in an interview for The Guardian , Michael Bromwich, a former DOJ inspector general, said the proposals to turn the departments into "instruments" to fulfill Trump's political agenda "should send shivers down the spine of anyone who cares about the rule of law."

Overall, critics including legal experts and former government employees have zeroed in on Project 2025's goal to give the executive branch more power, describing it as a precursor to authoritarianism.

However, the initiative's push to increase executive power may be part of a deeper trend in American politics, Peter Strauss, a professor at Columbia Law School, said in a  lecture  on Faculti, a research video platform. He said momentum to increase executive authority has been steadily increasing over many presidential administrations: 

We have seen in the United States a steadily expanding presidential claim of authority to control not only tenure but also ordinary acts of government. This has been happening at least since the presidency of Ronald Reagan and it reached a peak with President Trump and his first term, and he's promised that he's going back there. 

Our Reporting

For this report, we repeatedly tried to interview representatives of the Heritage Foundation — the conservative think tank that conceptualized Project 2025 — as well as the Trump campaign and other supporters of the effort. All either declined to be interviewed or did not respond to our inquiries. 

For example, we reached out to dozens of groups on Project 2025's advisory board — a collection of groups under the Heritage Foundation's oversight that have co-signed the effort, given feedback on its proposals or promoted it to government officials. The groups include Center for Renewing America , Turning Point USA , The American Conservative , and  American Cornerstone Institute . We asked the organizations about the nature of their involvement in the initiative, proposals they support, and more. As of this writing, none has responded.

After we initially reached out to the Heritage Foundation for this story, a spokesperson responded asking for more specifics on our reporting. We responded with key points, including requests to comment on project leaders' communication with former U.S. President Donald Trump, concerns from legal experts about the initiative's proposed changes and general criticism. The Heritage Foundation did not respond to that message. Later, after informing the organization of our writing deadline, a spokesperson said no one was available.

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July 5, 2024: This post was updated to include Trump's July 5, 2024, post on Truth Social.

By Nur Ibrahim

Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing.

By Aleksandra Wrona

Aleksandra Wrona is a reporting fellow for Snopes, based in the Warsaw area.

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The Civil War in America

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Was the Civil War Inevitable? Essay

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The Civil War in the United States continues to attract the interest of many historians who want to discuss the underlying causes of this conflict and its effects. In particular, they often discuss the extent to which this confrontation was inevitable. Overall, it is possible to say that the notion of inevitability is not fully applicable to this situation. More attention should be paid to the individual decisions of policy-makers, their attitudes, and values. It is often assumed that the conflict related to the legal status of slavery in the country was irreconcilable. However, by looking at the events which preceded the Civil War, one can argue that the confrontation did not have to evolve in the civil war; more likely, it can be explained by the failure to reach a compromise. This is the main thesis that should be elaborated more closely.

This issue can be discussed by looking at the primary sources. Historians, who support the idea that the American Civil War was inevitable, lay stress on the dramatic differences in the opinions of northern and southern political leaders (Heyrman, Lytle.& Stoff, 2010). For instance, one can mention the arguments expressed by John Calhoun (1850), who believed that there had been various encroachments on the rights of Southern states. For instance, one can speak about attempts to limit slavery in the country. In his view, the government had to put an end to such attempts; otherwise, the political role of the South could be reduced to the minimum. He speaks about the domination of Northern politicians in the state apparatus due to the growing population of these (Heyrman, Lytle.& Stoff, 2010). Therefore, one of the options available to the Southern states could be to secede from the Union, if their needs were not taken into account by the government. This is one of the details that can be identified. To some degree, the events known as Bleeding Kansas suggest that pro-slavery and anti-slavery interest groups could enter into a violent conflict.

In turn, Abraham Lincoln (1858) also focuses on the problem of slavery. In his opinion, the Union could not remain sustainable if the problem of slavery was not resolved. He refers to the notorious Dred Scott decision, which highlighted the potential conflict between two regions of the country. Moreover, in his view, the spread of slavery had to be stopped. This is why he focuses on the Kansas-Nebraska Act according to the status of slavery could be determined with the help of popular vote (Lincoln, 1858). In his opinion, this decision was completely unacceptable. Overall, one can say that both politicians recognize the importance of slavery, and they have the opposite opinions on this issue. Moreover, they are unwilling to consider the interests of one another. Therefore, these dramatic differences in opinions indicate that the civil conflict in the United States could eventually break out. This is one of the arguments that can be made.

Nevertheless, it is important to remember several details indicating that the conflict was not inevitable. In particular, one should mention that Southern state did not secede from the Union simultaneously. This process was led by South Caroline, but it was not immediately supported by the legislators in other states. For instance, one can mention Tennessee, which was the last to join the Confederacy. Moreover, West Virginia emerged as a state because local policy-makers did not want to secede from the Union. Furthermore, they abolished slavery before the end of the Civil War.

Moreover, there were some slave states did not secede; for instance, one can mention Missouri and Delaware. Thus, one cannot say that the problem of slavery was irreconcilable. This is one of the exceptions that should be taken into account. Overall, the pattern of secession does not fully support Calhoun’s idea that all Southern states did want to be a part of the Union because the government wanted to restrict or abolish slavery. These are some of the issues that should be taken into account.

Much attention should be paid to the willingness or unwillingness of the local elite to accept the policies of the federal government. In some cases, they did not want to secede from the United States only because of the conflict which emerged as a result of the slavery debate. Moreover, the support of cession was particularly strong in the states in which the economy was very dependent on slave labor (Heyrman, Lytle.& Stoff, 2010). In this case, the idea of inevitability is not fully acceptable. More likely, one can speak about the failure to reach a compromise.

This discussion is important because it indicates that the American Civil War continues to be a subject of heated debate among historians. One cannot say that this conflict was pre-determined by some forces that could not be controlled. The examples, which have been described, suggest that this war takes its origins in the attitudes and interests of separate politicians who could not change the strategies. In particular, one should speak about the unwillingness of Southern political leaders to accept the dangers of depending on slavery. These are the main details that can be distinguished.

Reference List

Calhoun, J. (1850). The Clay Compromise Measures . Web.

Heyrman, C., Lytle, M., & Stoff, M. (2010). U .S.: A Narrative History . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Lincoln, A. (1858). House Divided. Web.

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"Was the Civil War Inevitable?" IvyPanda , 11 May 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/was-the-civil-war-inevitable/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Was the Civil War Inevitable'. 11 May.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Was the Civil War Inevitable?" May 11, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/was-the-civil-war-inevitable/.

1. IvyPanda . "Was the Civil War Inevitable?" May 11, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/was-the-civil-war-inevitable/.

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IvyPanda . "Was the Civil War Inevitable?" May 11, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/was-the-civil-war-inevitable/.