HI 272: Civil War and Reconstruction

This course is designed to introduce students to the history of the American Civil War and its profound impact on the United States. It focuses on the period from the nullification crisis of 1830 through the end of Reconstruction in 1877 and takes as its central theme, an in-depth exploration of the concept of freedom for nineteenth-century Americans. To that end, we will discuss national debates concerning slavery, the politics of the 1850s, and the creation of Southern nationalism, paying particular attention to concepts of freedom and nationality. It also examines the military, economic, and social aspects of the war, the process of emancipation, and the role of African Americans in these events. Finally, this course concludes with an exploration into the Reconstruction era and its legacy for race and gender issues, as well as politics and economics.