Description
The Civil War and Reconstruction constitute a defining moment in the history of the United States. This course will explore the dramatic and sometimes tragic aspects of the War and the years that followed. The course will begin with a study of aspects of early US History from the colonial period to the 1850s that help explain why the Civil War happened. Focus will then shift to the military, political and social aspects of the War itself. Emphasis will be placed on battle tactics, strategy, and the impact of the fighting on the home front. Primary source material will offer students an opportunity to delve into various aspects of the era, ranging from the experience of African Americans to the international context of the War. The course will conclude with a study of the achievements and shortcomings of post-war Reconstruction, which along with the Civil War itself, have done much to shape the contemporary history of The United States of America. US History 101 recommended, but not req