A common expression frequently stated has been “The North won the war but the South won the peace.”

Following the Civil War, the era of Reconstruction was fraught with immense challenges, intense debates and significant violence. Slavery had been abolished and the status of former enslaved persons brought drastic changes to their lives and to the Southern culture. Equality needed definition and protection under the law.  The South had to rebuild its economy, social structure and re-enter the union.  The struggles of the federal government to deal with the complex concerns of the day were exacerbated by the polarized visions of the Congress and President Andrew Johnson. These struggles and concerns had profound ramifications for the course of our history: amendments, extreme violence, Jim Crow laws, segregation, racism and injustice.  We shall explore these policies and attitudes and their lingering effects on our society today. Although much of this course will be similar to the Reconstruction course I taught previously, this course will have an additional component of present-day issues.  In light of our present political situation, Reconstruction and its legacy are more relevant than ever, illustrating the fragility of our democracy.  The class will consist of my presentations, including viewing some videos, and class discussion. The readings and watching of videos occasionally will probably take 2-3 hours a week.

It is recommended that class members be able to download videos from You Tube, download pdf documents sent by me or other members, and be able to communicate via email.

This is a six week course ending May 17