Historian A: James McPherson – Political and Military Significance "James McPherson argues that the surrender at Appomattox was primarily a decisive political and military event. It marked the effective end of the Civil War, demonstrating Union military superiority and leading to the reunification of the United States. McPherson emphasizes the strategic importance of Union victory, the collapse of Confederate resistance, and the symbolic importance of Lee’s surrender as restoring the Union and ending slavery. He views it as a crucial turning point that determined the future political landscape of America."

Historian B: Eric Foner – Social and Human Impact "Eric Foner contends that the surrender at Appomattox had profound social and human implications beyond the battlefield. He highlights the impact on former slaves, emphasizing the beginning of a new social order and the struggles for civil rights and equality. Foner views the event as a catalyst for social change, symbolizing hope for emancipation and the challenges faced by freed slaves in the post-war era. He stresses that understanding the social consequences is essential to grasping the full significance of the surrender."