Question

look at the first paragraph and notice the description of the joyful northerners at the end of the civil war. how is this similar to act 1 of the tragedy of julius ceasar?

Answer 1

If this was the first paragraph given:
"IT is Friday, April 14, 1865. Four years of ghastly civil war are coming to a close. Teeming with hope, the North celebrates heartily: in Washington, bonfires burn, flags snap festively, a 500-gun salute booms. Meanwhile, the president is going to the theater. At Ford's, Abraham Lincoln acknowledges the audience's applause with a slight bow before settling his tired frame into his chair. Then, at 10:15, a bullet tears into his brain, plunging the nation into chaos"

This is similar in Act 1 of the Tragedy of Julius Ceasar because the commoners were also outside and waiting for the return of Julius Ceasar, who they will celebrate with for winning over Pompey.

In the 1st paragraph, the people were also celebrating their win over their Southern enemies. They celebrated by making bonfires,displaying flags, and the gun salute booms. 

In Act 1, the commoners wore their Sunday's best and did not report to their work because they were waiting patiently for Julius Ceasar whom they would most likely greet with boisterous cheers.