There are many things that we hear over and over again that are just accepted as common knowledge or fact. Not to single out, Bryan Howerton, but in one your earlier postings you stated "Yes, sir, being a citizen of the most powerful, most enlightened, freest nation on earth is a pretty good outcome." This connection of a powerful, enlightened, freest nation on earth" with the outcome is the reason for this posting. I have seen this connection most of my life as a justification or reinforcement of the "good outcome" of the Civil War. My question is, does everyone agree that there is a direct connection between a Union victory and today's prosperity, freedom and enlightenment? Is it possible, that a different outcome might have led to a similar prosperous outcome for two or more countries located within the boundaries of the "lower 48"?

Many years ago, in the 60's, I read William McKinley Kantor's, Pulitzer prize winning "If The South Had Won the Civil War". He postulated that with a Confederate victory, the United States would ultimately divide into three separate countries, slavery in the Southern states would have ended peacefully in the 1880's and that the North and South would have been opponents in WWI, but would have allied for WWII. With the rise of the Communist states the North, South and Republic of Texas would have legally reunited the three countries in the 60's for mutual protection. In spite of the division of the United States, Kantor did not draw the conclusion that ingenuity, progress and prosperity would stop or be reduced. The three separate countries would continue to trade and work together for their mutual interests.

I'm just asking is their a direct connection between the outcome of the American Civil War and our current prosperity? I tend to believe that they are not connected. I'd like to hear others comments.

Jim