1. Warfare in the 1860s was vastly different from what it is today. What are the key differences? What factors have brought about these changes?

2. Today, Abraham Lincoln is regarded as one of the greatest presidents, yet during his lifetime, he faced considerable unpopularity. Across Five Aprils highlights several reasons for this. Research more about his unpopularity and his reelection in 1864.

3. How did the Civil War impact the region where you live? Were the effects direct, such as nearby battles, or indirect, like those depicted in Across Five Aprils?

4. Read Walt Whitman's poem "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd." Analyze how Hunt incorporates Whitman's imagery in her novel. Do these images take on different meanings within the novel's context? Are they equally effective in both the poem and the novel?

5. The motif of changing seasons is a crucial element in Across Five Aprils. The deaths of Lincoln and Tom Creighton are particularly tragic because they occur during a beautiful spring. Describe other instances where the season motif adds significance to events in the novel.