The American Civil War

Catalog description

This course, covering the period roughly from 1820-1865 and focusing mostly on 1860-1865, examines the origins of the Civil War, the war itself, and preliminary efforts at reconstruction during wartime. The class meetings and readings will focus on the transformation wrought by the war, investigating in particular certain issues relevant to current affairs: 1) enslavement, emancipation, and struggles for equality; 2) sectionalism, secession, and insurrection; 3) the role of law in the prosecution and resolution of war; and 4) the role of the Civil War in American popular culture and politics. There are no prerequisites--the course is accessible to students at all levels--but some knowledge of U.S. history might be useful.