a kind of grand synthesis or theory. Note why Fredrickson thinks explana­ tions that emphasize the North’s advantages are flawed. Also consider his argu­ ment that Southern military leaders were rigid and conservative and how it relates to his overall theory about the reason for the Union’s triumph. Does Fredrickson find the answer to the North’s victory on the battlefield or on the home front? Does he make a connection between the way each side fought the war and the respective home fronts? Finally