Write a thesis statement based on the following writing prompt, which was introduced earlier in this lesson: Consider your prior research on the Civil War. What legacy from the war has most affected American society today?

The Civil War had a greater impact on American society and the polity than any other event in the country's history. It was also the most traumatic experience endured by any generation of Americans. At least 620,000 soldiers lost their lives in the war, 2 percent of the American population in 1861