Era of the Civil War

Catalog description

The era of the American Civil War is one of the most studied periods in American history. Despite the robust and well-established scholarship on the topic, vibrant debates and competing schools of thought still exist. In this course, students will add to this rich tradition with their own interpretations of the social, economic, cultural, and political roots of the conflict and its relevant impacts on the American narrative. Emphasis is placed on applying different methodologies and lenses to the vast historical body of knowledge surrounding the antebellum period through the Reconstruction era. Students evaluate the implications of methodology and lens on interpretations of the Civil War.