V1

January 1861 and they had a divided Congress
the nation was separated by hatred and open conflict
Southern leaders and businesses wanted to leave the country
the wanted the South to be independent while also wanting
a weak federal government that served the states not the public
the Northern leaders weren't budging, even if it resulted
in war, because they wanted a more powerful federal
government to centralize power on every level
the biggest fight was over slavery but not because of morality
the South had kept it legal while the North focused on factories
but slaves counted as 3/5 of a person, to give
the slave states more delegates in the House of Representatives
each side was eyeing control of the new states in the west
and once they decided "freedom" or "slavery", that side would control the rest
but the Nation had elected President Lincoln, so the South
and secessionists finally decided they wanted out

Chorus

The Rebels were traitors
Justified a war against Americans they had instigated
Don't label them “patriots”
Cuz they waved the flag of a hostile nation full of racists

The Rebels were traitors
Waging a war against Americans they had instigated
You call yourselves “patriots”
But you wave the flag of a hostile nation

V2

Before Lincoln was even sworn in, 7 states had already left the Union
led by South Carolina, united, they formed a new one
the Confederate States of America, led by Jefferson
Davis, a slaveowner and their first President
in all 11 states would leave, 25 would stay in
war erupted as the Southern forces captured Union bases
seizing properties and anyone loyal to America
(then) the South just had to defend itself until a truce was won
for now, we'll skip the battles and focus on the institutions
those claiming the South was good should read the Confederate Constitution
it contained 10 references that regulated slavery
and many of its states depicted slaves on their currency
at first, Lincoln didn't want slavery abolished
he just wanted to end the war, so to the South he offered
they could keep their slaves if they came back to the country
and any slaves that escaped would be returned promptly
only as the war went on did he support emancipation
but he wanted the freed slaves to go to Liberia for safety
meanwhile, both sides were at war with the Natives
like the Dakota War, these were waged in the western states and
so many families torn apart, as the South was being routed
race riots, in the North as casualties mounted
5 days after General Lee's army surrendered
Lincoln was assassinated as the Civil War ended

Chorus

The Rebels were traitors
Justified a war against Americans they had instigated
Don't label them “patriots”
Cuz they waved the flag of a hostile nation full of racists

The Rebels were traitors
Waging a war against Americans they had instigated
You call yourselves “patriots”
But you wave the flag of a hostile nation

V3

After their surrender, the Southeast was broken and ruined
600,000 Americans died in the fight to preserve the Union
that's two hundred 9/11s but instead of charging for treason
the government pardoned most Confederate soldiers and their leaders
slavery was abolished but for the Natives, it was the end
cuz now that the States were united, they never would rise again
and the new President, Andrew Johnson, was a former slaveowner
who sympathized with the South so he allowed their leaders to take over
State legislatures and continue discrimination
through the Black Codes and other racist legislation
Federal leadership was furious, so they passed the 14th Amendment
then they sent the Army to occupy the South for 10 years and
stripped those leaders of their rights then began with Reconstruction
building public schools and colleges, bridges and even the infrastructure
the freed slaves were given rights and conservatives couldn't take it
so they vowed retaliation that's continued to this day and
modern conservatives long for the days of Southern glory
like they saw in “Gone With The Wind”, clinging to romantic stories
of a “simpler time” built on lies they were taught as children
in their minds, the Civil War never ended so their agenda
of small government and States' rights are nearly the same
threats to secede when they don't get their way, and to this day
South Carolina's State Capitol still flies the Confederate flag
in defiance as a statement that they want that country back

Chorus

The Rebels were traitors
Justified a war against Americans they had instigated
Don't label them “patriots”
Cuz they waved the flag of a hostile nation full of racists

The Rebels were traitors
Waging a war against Americans they had instigated
You call yourselves “patriots”
But you wave the flag of a hostile nation