The Conspirator Discussion Questions – Wrap up Activity

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The Conspirator Discussion Questions – Wrap Up Activity Do you think Mary Surratt was an active participant in the plot to kill Lincoln? o Defend your answer. Frederick Aiken undergoes a personal transformation during the film, from Mary Surratt’s angry opponent to her passionate supporter. What drives this change in him? Give specific examples. The following is one of the most important dialogues of the film, in which Aiken encourages Mrs. Surratt to incriminate (give up) her son John in order to save herself: Surratt: Have you ever cared for something greater than yourself? Aiken: I’ve spent the last four years fighting for something greater than myself. Surratt: Then we are the same. Are Aiken and Surratt the same in regards to what they are fighting for? o What would you do in Mrs. Surratt’s situation? Why? Aiken accuses Secretary of War Edwin Stanton of seeking vengeance in Mrs. Surratt’s trial, not justice. What’s the difference between vengeance and justice? o Should trials and convictions be used to seek vengeance? Why or why not? Just before Mary Surratt and the other conspirators are executed, Judge Advocate Joseph Holt says “In the time of war, the law falls silent.” Mr. Aiken replies, “It shouldn’t.” Should aspects of the law and the US Constitution ever be ignored? Why or why not? What did Frederick Aiken risk by defending Mary Surratt? o Why was he willing to take these risks? o In your opinion what was riskier, his courage on the battlefield or his courage in the courtroom? Why? .

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Fall 2014 Course Catalog
121-001: LEGACY OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR Ryan Swanson ([email protected]) Core: Humanities COURSE DESCRIPTION The United States is currently commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The Civil War was, arguably, the most significant conflict in American history. Put succinctly, the war decided that slavery would end and that the Union would be held together. But understanding the Civil War’s role in American society, both historically and today, is far from simple. This course will study the war itself, but also issues of memory and commemoration. We will assess why, for example, re-enactors feel compelled to dress up and play war. We will consider how the Civil War has been characterized by Hollywood. We will study how designations of “North” and “South” continue to be formative in the United States. While this legacy class will look at some of the particulars of the conflict (such as the Battle of Albuquerque), the primary goal is to conduct an interdisciplinary analysis of the Civil War in American culture, and to assess how historical memory functions. READINGS Karen Cox, Dixie’s Daughters: The United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Preservation of Confederate Culture Drew Gilpin Faust, This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War Robert Hicks, The Widow of the South Tony Horwitz, Confederates in the Attic FILMS, ETC. Gone with the Wind; The Conspirator; Glory; Gods and Generals STUDENT REQUIREMENTS Students will be expected to embrace interdisciplinary analysis, write several argumentative papers, and engage in class discussion...among other things. ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR Ryan Swanson is in his second year at the UNM.
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