Have you personally been substandard before or have seen people treat individuals horrible just because of their race or for the simplicity of their sex? Back in the day citizens were judge on a daily basis prior due to the color of their skin. During the Civil War Slavery was divided into northern and southern states. The northern states fought for the idea of freedom and equality, which means they wanted no more slaves and the Southern states wanted to keep slaves for economical purposes. Also, women were not treated right , at the time men were bias to the idea of equality for women 's rights. Sojourner Truth was one of the very few women that stood up and contradicted mens ideas for women 's right and helped changed sexist points of view. Therefore , the Civil War redefined Americans perspective of equality, slavery, and women rights. The idea of equality has changed Americans way of thinking since the Civil War. For example in the Gettysburg Address it says 87 years ago America got its independence from britain, a new country made from the freedom of the people, and is committed to the idea that everyone is born similar (lincoln) Which means that 87 years ago America was founded and that in the preamble it states that all men are created equal. If men are all created then why didn 't all men come together and work as a team instead of segregating by color. Lincoln agrees that segregation is bad and that 's why in his speech bring up the statement that all men