Lost Cause of the Confederacy

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The Lost Cause of the Confederacy, also known as the Lost Cause Myth or simply as the Lost Cause, is an American pseudohistorical and historical negationist myth that argues the mission, purpose, or goals of the Confederate States during the American Civil War were morally just, heroic, and not centered on maintaining slavery. First articulated in 1866, it has continued to influence racism, gender roles, and religious attitudes in the Southern United States into the 21st century. The Lost Cause reached the height of its popularity at the turn of the 20th century, when proponents memorialized Confederate veterans who were dying off. It reached another high-level of popularity again during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, in reaction to growing public support for racial equality. Through actions such as building prominent Confederate monuments and writing history textbooks, Lost Cause organizations (including the United Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate...

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