Historical1807
Robert E. Lee Born
Robert E. Lee was born in Stratford Hall, Virginia, to a prominent family with deep roots in the American Revolution. He would later face the agonizing decision to resign his U.S. Army commission and lead the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Why It Matters
Lee's life exemplifies the tensions of divided loyalty during the Civil War era and raises enduring questions about duty, allegiance, and the costs of disunion in American civic life.