The Rise and Fall of American Slavery

Catalog description

This course will explore the rise and fall of slavery in what became the United States from its colonial origins in 1619 through the end of Reconstruction in 1877, with an eye toward placing American slavery in a broader Atlantic context. We will examine the economic, racial, religious, cultural, legal, and political underpinnings of the institution, and evaluate the profound ways it shaped - and continues to shape - American society. We will analyze how American slavery was understood and experienced and consider how the stories we tell ourselves about American slaves and slavery have evolved over time. This course will conclude with a look at the impact of emancipation on Black life in America and slavery's enduring legacy.