HIST 0217 - THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION

Minimum Credits: 3
Maximum Credits: 3
During the 1860s, long-standing divisions over the future of slavery in the United States exploded into a bloody and transformative civil war. That war and its contentious aftermath fundamentally re-made the nation's society, culture, and governance in ways that continue to shape our present and future. This course will offer a broad overview of the U.S. Civil War Era, concentrating on the period of the 1840s-80s. We will begin by tracing the long- and short-term causes of the war, from the unresolved contradictions the American Revolution through the dramatic social, technological, economic, and cultural changes of the early 19th century. We examine the war itself, focusing especially on the lived experiences of its diverse participants and analyzing how the war destabilized and destroyed the institution of slavery. A final unit will explore the contested process of post-war Reconstruction as well as the ongoing political struggles over the war's historical memory and meaning.
Academic Career: Undergraduate
Course Component: Lecture
Grade Component: LG/SNC Elective Basis

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