The goal of the historical memorialization of the American Civil War was primarily to reconcile the North and South while promoting national unity and understanding of the war's lessons. After the war, various monuments and celebrations, including Memorial Day, were established to honor soldiers and acknowledge the sacrifices made. Memorialization aimed to shape collective memory, often emphasizing themes of heroism, sacrifice, and patriotism while glossing over the complexities of slavery and its legacy. Sites such as Gettysburg became symbols of reconciliation, and the narrative was often used to justify racial segregation and the "Lost Cause" ideology that romanticized the Confederate experience.