The Lost Cause

The Lost Cause is a mythe or narrative that portrays the Confederacy’s fight in the American Civil War as a noble and heroic effort to defend states’ rights and Southern culture, rather than primarily about slavery. It emerged after the war to justify the Southern cause, minimize the role of slavery, and promote a sense of Southern pride. This story often romanticizes Confederate leaders and battlefield valor, while downplaying or ignoring the war’s central conflict over slavery. The Lost Cause has influenced cultural memory and debates about history, identity, and race in the United States.