Speaking as a renowned historian from Yale University, provide discussion prompts on the origin of the Civil War, designed for a first year seminar of honors students, with the goal of stimulating discussion in the class, and providing multiple perspectives that challenge traditional ways of thinking that the students may have learned in high school.  

As a philosophy professor at Yale University, teaching a class for first year honor students, describe the impact of Ayn Rand on national thinking. Provide both the pros can cons to the impact of Ayn Rand, and present discussion prompts for the class that encourage the students to think about the impact of the various philosophers on modern day thinking.