History 454 THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION. Rand Jimerson

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1 Spring 2012 History 454 THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION Rand Jimerson Office: Bond Hall 324 Office hours: TuTh 10-11:30 Tel: (W) COURSE SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES The American Civil War was one of the seminal events in our national history, encompassing and defining most of the crucial issues of American life: political, social, economic, ideological, moral, and emotional. The coming of the war, its results, and the aftermath of Reconstruction provide a dramatic background for exploring the American character and our national history. In fact, the war itself defined our history as national and not merely local or regional. This course will explore these themes, emphasizing the personal experiences of men and women caught up in these tumultuous years. The course objectives are: to gain an understanding of major issues and events in the era of Civil War and Reconstruction, including the causes of the war, the experience of emancipation, and the consequences of the war and Reconstruction; to learn about the diversity and richness of personal experience; to understand how historians select, examine, and interpret primary sources; and to apply these skills in analyzing and interpreting historical issues. REQUIRED READINGS Michael Perman, ed., Major Problems in the Civil War and Reconstruction, 3 rd edition Bruce Levine, Half Slave and Half Free: The Roots of Civil War, revised edition Michael P. Johnson, ed., Abraham Lincoln, Slavery, and the Civil War: Selected Writings and Speeches, 2 nd edition Randall C. Jimerson, The Private Civil War: Popular Thought During the Sectional Conflict William L. Barney, The Making of a Confederate: Walter Lenoir s Civil War Eric Foner, A Short History of Reconstruction

2 2 ASSIGNMENTS 1) Readings and Discussion: Class sessions include both informal lectures, discussions of assigned readings, and student panel presentations. Attendance at the discussion sessions and panel presentations [marked DISC on schedule below] is mandatory. Class participation will count for 20% of your final grade, so attendance at class meetings is in your own best interest. 2) Discussion Panels: Each of you will take part in a panel on one of the topics in Michael Perman, Major Problems in the Civil War and Reconstruction. Each panel will present a critique of the documents and essays in the assigned chapter, as background for a class discussion on the topic. You are encouraged to meet together as a group to discuss strategy, and to prepare a list of discussion questions for the instructor. Turn in preference list by Thursday, March 29. 3) Analytical Essay: For further experience in critiquing documents and essays in the Problems book by Perman, you will write a 4-5 page analytical essay based on one chapter in the book. Topics for the essay are grouped to avoid duplication with the discussion panel group topics. (See note at the bottom of panel group selection sheet for your options.) Essay is due on the date the chapter you select is assigned for class. Please check schedule carefully and note the date on which your essay is due! 4) Research Paper: You will be asked to prepare a research paper, based on primary sources (personal letters, diaries, reminiscences, government documents, newspapers, or other contemporary sources). The research paper should be pages, with bibliography and footnotes. Topic and a list of primary and secondary sources must be submitted for approval by April 24. Paper is due May 31. 5) Exam: The final exam will consist of: (a) identification questions, in which you will describe and explain the historical significance of terms, names, or phrases, and (b) essay questions, in which you will answer broad-based questions by stating your conclusion or interpretation and then backing it up with factual evidence, examples, and your own ideas on the topic. Exam questions will be based on the assigned readings, lectures, and discussions. The final exam will take place on June 7, 1:00-3:00 p.m. GRADING Your grade for this course will be calculated as follows: class participation, 15 %; panel presentation, 10 %; analytical essay, 20 %; research paper, 30 %. final exam, 25 %.

3 3 CLASS SCHEDULE Tues. March 27 Introduction: Course objectives and requirements Lecture: The American Civil War in Historical Context Thurs. March 29 Read: Perman, Major Problems, ch. 1; Levine, ch. 1-2 Lecture: Slavery and the Origins of Sectionalism Lecture: The Antislavery Crusade DUE: Discussion panel preference list Tues. April 3 Read: Major Problems, ch. 2; Levine, ch. 3-4 DISC: The Slave South Lecture: Compromise and Conflict, Thurs. April 5 Read: Major Problems, ch. 3; Levine, ch. 5-8 Lecture: Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men DISC: Sectional Politics, Tues. April 10 Read: Major Problems, ch. 4; Levine, ch Lecture: Harper s Ferry and the 1860 Election DISC: Panel 1: Sectionalism and Secession Thurs. April 12 Read: Lincoln, ch. 2-3; Jimerson, ch. 1-2 Lecture: Abraham Lincoln and Republican Ideology DISC: Americans Go to War: Why They Fought Tues. April 17 Read: Major Problems, ch. 5; Lincoln, ch. 4 Lecture: The Stalemated War, DISC: Panel 2: Generals and Campaigns Thurs. April 19 Read: Lincoln, ch. 5-7 Lecture: Politics, Economics, and Military Decisions DISC: Abraham Lincoln s Leadership Tues. April 24 Read: Major Problems, ch. 6 Lecture: Jefferson Davis and Confederate Politics DISC: Panel 3: Soldiers and Combat: Why They Fought DUE: Research paper proposal Thurs. April 26 [No class: research day]

4 4 Tues. May 1 Read: Major Problems, ch. 7 Lecture: War on Two Fronts, DISC: Panel 4: The Northern Home Front Thurs. May 3 Read: Major Problems, ch. 8 Lecture: High Tide of the Confederacy DISC: Panel 5: The Southern Home Front Tues. May 8 Read: Jimerson, ch. 3-4 DISC: Blacks in the Civil War: Slaves and Soldiers Lecture: Rehearsal for Reconstruction Thurs. May 10 Read: Major Problems, ch. 9 DISC: Panel 6: Ending Slavery Lecture: From Gettysburg to Petersburg Tues. May 15 Read: Barney, The Making of a Confederate, ch. 1-6 DISC: Walter Lenoir s Civil War Lecture: Sherman s March and the 1864 Election Thurs. May 17 Read: Jimerson, ch. 5-6, Epilogue; Lincoln, ch. 8 Lecture: Appomattox and Lincoln s Assassination DISC: Sectional Identity Tues. May 22 Read: Foner, ch. 1-5; Major Problems, ch. 10 Lecture: The Shaping of Reconstruction DISC: Panel 7: Northern Republicans and Reconstruction Policy Thurs. May 24 Read: Foner, ch. 6-7; Major Problems, ch Lecture: Radical Republicans and Impeachment DISC: Panel 8: Reconstructing Southern Politics Tues. May 29 Read: Foner, ch. 8-11; Major Problems, ch. 13 DISC: Ending Reconstruction Lecture: The New South and the Lost Cause Thurs. May 31 Read: Foner, ch. 12; Major Problems, ch. 14 DISC: The Civil War in Historical Memory Lecture: Confederates in the Attic DUE: Research paper Thurs. June 7 Final exam (1:00 3:00 PM)

5 5 HIST 454 PANEL DISCUSSION GROUPS Spring 2006 Name: (1) Please rank at least five (5) of the following topics, from 1 (first choice) through 5 (fifth choice). I will try to match you up as close as possible with the topic you want, or as high a preference as possible. But in order to accommodate everyone s interests it might not be possible to give everyone their first or second choice. rank panel topic Perman chapter date (1) Sectionalism and Secession 4 4/10 (2) Generals and Campaigns 5 4/17 (3) Soldiers and Combat 6 4/24 (4) The Northern Home Front 7 5/1 (5) The Southern Home Front 8 5/3 (6) Ending Slavery 9 5/10 (7) Republicans and Reconstruction Policy 10 5/22 (8) Reconstructing Southern Politics 12 5/24 ESSAYS: For the analytical essays based on chapters in the Perman book, students in the panel discussion groups may pick from the chapters listed below. This is staggered so that you will not have to write an essay during the same week that you make your group presentation. You may pick from any of the chapters listed for your panel group number. Panel groups May write essay based on one of the following Perman chapters: 1, 2 and 3 Chapter 7, 8, 9, or 10 4, 5, and 6 Chapter 1o, 11, 12, or 13 7 and 8 Chapter 3, 4, 5, or 6 Note: Analytical essay is due on the date that the Perman chapter is assigned for class. (2) What topics or issues do you hope to learn about in this course? (Use back of page.)