Interpret the Evidence and Put It in Context

1. According to these sources, what accounts for the early popular support for the war and changes in sentiment over the course of the war?

2. Compare the letters from Fred Spooner (Document 13.5) and John Hines (Document 13.6). How did each view the enemy and the causes of the war?

3. In what ways do Suzy King Taylor (Document 13.7) and Eliza Frances Andrews (Document 13.9) defy or confirm contemporary gender roles? How does their race and their status shape these roles?

4. How do the experiences of Suzy King Taylor and Thomas Freeman (Documents 13.7 and 13.8) compare to those of the white writers (Documents 13.5, 13.6, and 13.9)?

5. What was life like for soldiers at the front (Documents 13.5, 13.6, and 13.8)? How would you compare the different war experiences revealed in these letters?