After consulting with the staff of our two civil war related magazines, the classic standout recommended by dana shoaf, editor of civil war times, is americas unfinished revolution, 18631877, by eric foner. I still assign this to graduate students as an example of historical writing at its best and for its deployment of the concept of irony to the sectional conflict. The presidential election of 1800 for the first time in u. His teaching and scholarship have shaped our understanding of that pivotal period. Abraham lincoln and american slavery 2010, has received the pulitzer, bancroft, and lincoln prizes. Abraham lincoln was assassinated less than one week later. Reconstruction, white supremacy, and the rise of jim crow. In this lucid legal history and political manifesto, pulitzer prize winning historian foner the fiery trial explores how the reconstruction amendments the th, 14th, and 15th, which abolished slavery, granted birthright citizenship, and acknowledged black mens political rights have been interpreted over the past century and a half. These laws had the purpose and the effect of limiting the africanamericans freedom, and rights. Presidential reconstruction, from 1865 to 1867, required little of the former. Matthew gallman is a professor of history at the university of florida. The legacy of the civil war by robert penn warren, a deeply flawed classic. Reconstruction brings to life this turbulent and complex period through original footage shot on location.
An ample, wideranging collection of primary sources, the civil war and reconstruction. I am still finding more free books on the civil war and reconstruction. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil war. Civil war and reconstruction african american history. In addition to the common narrative of president andrew johnsons battle with the radical republicans in congress most notable thaddeus stevens, who is featured prominently in the film the documentary also. The term second reconstruction first appeared in the political legacy of reconstruction, a 1957 journal article published in the journal of negro education by the historian c. Mar 10, 2020 books and journals on the civil war and reconstruction the civil war is a subject on which much has been researched and written. When andrew johnson became president, he was from the south and wanted to be even more lenient to the confederate states than lincoln. Any documentaries, or best books on reconstruction. The second civil war is one of the few useful documentaries for those teaching the reconstruction era. The twelve years that composed the post war reconstruction era 186577 witnessed a seismic shift in the meaning and makeup of our democracy. Similarities between civil war and reconstruction 921 words.
In the last years of the 1850s, arkansas enjoyed an economic boom that was unparalleled in its history. While the general reader or civil war buff might enjoy mcphersons popular battle cry of freedom, this book in a first rate textbook on the civil war. It was a significant chapter in the history of american civil rights the term has two applications. The reconstruction e ra was the period in american history which lasted from 1863 to 1877.
Reconstruction era civil war reconstruction acts civil war. Other materials that are listed may be located online via links to websites devoted to this period in american. But the years following the war, reconstruction, also offer a rich backdrop that have informed some of the greatest art in the countrys canon. Along the way, foner asks how we ought to interpret the compromises enshrined in the text of the new amendments. If you search by his name on amazon a number of books come up. Civil war from all sides 1862 battle of fredericksburg. A role play, the free downloadable booklet from the national park service called the era of reconstruction. It would be impossible to list every single important work on this conflict. Books and journals on the civil war and reconstruction the civil war is a subject on which much has been researched and written. This period of time had a very big impact on african americans across the south and many questions of were african americans actually free during. Indeed, because no woman served in the congresses that produced the reconstructionera amendments, and because no woman voted in any of the states that ratified the th and 14th amendments, a. Reconstruction of the civil war 1054 words 5 pages. The purpose of the reconstruction was to help the south become a part of the union again.
It deals with the legacy of the american civil war, especially in the defeated southern confederate states. Foner is the author of several books about the civil war and reconstruction. How the civil war and reconstruction remade the constitution by eric. Second founding examines how reconstruction remade the. Reconstruction period characterized by anarchy, chaos, and even at times armed conflict much has been written about the military conflict called the civil war fought between north and south, but not as much has been written about the postwar reconstruction period, which is perhaps even more complex politically than the war itself. Politics and constitutionalism in the civil war era. Sep 17, 2019 second founding examines how reconstruction remade the constitution pulitzer prizewinning historian eric foner talks how the th, 14th and 15th amendments relate to current debates about. Reconstruction addressed how secessionist southern states would return to the union, the civil status of the leaders of the confederacy, and the constitutional and legal status of the negro freedmen. Mcpherson spends ample time exploring the causes of war. A documentary collection, opens a window onto the political, social, cultural, economic, and. At the end of the civil war, the defeated south was a ruined land. Historians describe the debate over extending civil rights to former slaves that divided the country after the civil war. Civil war and reconstruction, 18611877 gilder lehrman.
Historical panels on slavery, civil war, and reconstruction in the city. Below are books for students and teachers on the reconstruction era in the united states. The reconstruction era is the period in american history from 18651877. The civil war was the turning point in the us history, while the reconstruction era has completed the achievements of the civil war and changes launched by the war.
Famous people of the reconstruction era biography online. How the civil war and reconstruction remade the constitution is a nonfiction book written by eric foner and published by w. But in the years between 1861 and 1865, the bloody and destructive civil war destroyed that prosperity. How the civil war and reconstruction remade the constitution. His books have garnered every major award, including the pulitzer prize for the fiery trial, his study of lincoln and american slavery. Why are the 1960s called the second reconstruction. The civil war and reconstruction david herbert donald, jean harvey baker, michael f. Similarities between civil war and reconstruction 921. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil. Oct 31, 2019 the second founding tells the story of the eras constitutional amendments. Two years earlier, woodward had published the book the. The american civil war took place between 1861 and 1865, after which the union was preserved.
Mr foner has written a number of books on the civil war and reconstruction. Reconstruction of the civil war 1108 words bartleby. Rhetorical or hyperbolic references to a potential second american civil war have since been made on a number of occasions throughout the history of the united states. A documentary collection, opens a window onto the political, social, cultural, economic, and military history from 1830 to 1877.
This selective bibliography provides a listing of books, journal articles, videos, and magazine articles about the reconstruction era from 18651877. The brief, violent history of americas most progressive era by douglas r. May 23, 2015 this feature is not available right now. Free online access to hundreds of great civil war and reconstruction books from university of north carolina press. Civil war through reconstruction, 1861 through 1874. Sep 18, 2019 the second founding, by the historian eric foner, argues that the radical promise of the th, 14th and 15th amendments all passed after the civil war remains unfulfilled today. When black and white refugees fled to atlanta to escape the klan may 1869. In addition to the common narrative of president andrew johnsons battle with the radical republicans in congress most notable thaddeus stevens, who is featured prominently in the film the documentary also uses the stories of several other lesserknown. Eric foner is the preeminent historian of the civil war era. President lincoln was assassinated at the end of the civil war, however, and never had the chance to implement his reconstruction plan.
Access thousands of highquality, free k12 articles, and create online assignments with them for your students. The second founding, by the historian eric foner, argues that the radical promise of the th, 14th and 15th amendments all passed after the civil war remains unfulfilled today. Best book on reconstruction american civil war forums. America after the civil war explores the transformative years following the american civil war, when the nation struggled to rebuild itself in the face of profound loss, massive. Civil war, was an effort to reunify the divided nation, address and integrate african americans into society by rewriting the nations laws and. After the civil war, violent controversy erupted throughout the. A companion to the civil war and reconstruction addresses the key topics and themes of the civil war era, with 23 original essays by top scholars in the field. A prominent professor and historian of the civil war era has written this short book on three extraordinary amendments to the u. Associate editor sarah richardson added two reputable additions, although they both focus on facets that constitute microcosms of the era. Reconstruction 18651877, the turbulent era following the civil war, was the effort to reintegrate southern states from the confederacy and 4 million newlyfreed slaves into the united states. The books selected are available in founders library or one of the branch libraries. Id like to add a couple that arent necessarily focused on reconstruction, but speak to the south after the war.
Many authors writing todat refer to this book in their introductions. They required african americans to sign work contracts which is similar to those under slavery. The achievements, and compromises, of two reconstructionera amendments. While it is about the reconstruction period it is really about how the events of. Todays topic is reconstruction the period after the us civil war and why dont we just start by asking you what the goals of reconstruction were and what some of the obstacles were to its progress.
Literature, thomas argues, enables us to reexperience how reconstruction wasand remainsa moral, economic, and political debate about which world should have emerged after the civil war to mark the birth of a new nation. The battle for freedom and equality, is the first in america devoted to exploring how constitutional clashes over slavery set the stage for the civil war, and how the nation transformed the constitution after the war to more fully embrace. Reconstruction after the civil war 1961, university of chicago press, 280 pages. The reconstruction era saw attempts by us congress to reform southern states, in particular dealing with the effects of the emancipation of slaves and the civil. Explores the brevity of the norths military occupation of the south, limited power of former slaves, influence of moderate southerners, flaws in. American civil war 18611865, after the confederacy was defeated and slavery ended. Civil rights during reconstruction american experience. The book then is really a constitutional history that is shaped by the civil war. Why is reconstruction sometimes referred to as the second. What reconstructionera laws can teach our democracy the. The conflict brought death and destruction to the state on a scale that few could have imagined, and the war and the tumultuous reconstruction era that followed it left a legacy of. Civil war and reconstruction response hannah pooley the period of reconstruction was the period of time between 1865 and 1877 when the nation was trying to rebuild itself after the civil war. It was a significant chapter in the history of ameri can ci vil rights the term has two applications.
The reconstruction era was the period after the american civil war from 1865 to 1877, during which the united states grappled with the challenges of reintegrating into the union the states that had seceded and determining the legal status of african americans. On this american experience site, pay a visit to grants frontier childhood, fight confederate forces at shiloh, read one of the most popular books of the 19th century grants personal memoirs and learn about the union general who became a u. A companion to the civil war and reconstruction blackwell companions to american history hardcover 528 pages. Personal choice, popular culture, and the union home front 2105, won the bobbie and john nau book prize in american civil war era history. Well, the reason i want to talk about reconstruction is i have been teaching about reconstruction now for.
The writing is fluid and the thoughts and conclusions understandable by the current readers. Federal troops occupied much of the south during the reconstruction to insure that laws were followed and that another uprising did. Andrew johnson, lincolns vice president, briefly continued lincolns policies after lincolns assassination and in may 1865 announced his own plans for reconstruction which included a vow of loyalty to the nation and. Inspired by the black freedom movement of the 1960s and its. Improve your students reading comprehension with readworks. The civil war is remembered in american literature by works such as the red badge of courage by stephen crane, march by geraldine brooks, and cold mountain by charles frazier. We also recommend the lesson, reconstructing the south. University of tennessee offers its civil war and reconstruction books free online. Scholars discuss the effects that the changes brought about by the civil war had on the identities of american citizens. At the same time, the outcomes of the civil war and reconstruction were disappointing to a large part of the us population, especially. Merton coulter, the south during reconstruction 18651877. Eric foners new book, the second founding, argues that the failed. Not really a civil war book, but crucial to understanding all other civil war books.
The rebuilding of the south after the civil war is called the reconstruction. Indeed, some historians have even called it the second. The physical destruction wrought by the invading union forces was enormous, and the old social and economic order founded on slavery had collapsed completely, with nothing to replace it. In the united states, the black codes were laws passed by southern states in 1865 and 1866 during reconstruction, after the civil war.
This is the grandfather of modern civil war reconstruction texts books. As the civil war was ending many people could see that the odds of the north winning increased dramatically however many people can argue this idea based on the several events that took place during the second phase of the civil war. The heroes, villains, soldiers, and civilians who changed america. After four bloody years of civil war, north and south would continue to fight over the meaning of freedom, the meaning of citizenship, and the survival of the nation itself. Oct 26, 2015 the pervasiveness of whitesupremacist ideology in academia gave license to jim crow efforts for decades after the civil war. Books on reconstruction after the civil war score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. The battle for freedom and equality the national constitution centers new permanent exhibit, civil war and reconstruction. A torrent of immigrants arrive in new york april 1869. Eric foner, the dewitt clinton professor of history at columbia university, is the author of numerous books on the civil war and reconstruction. His most recent book, defining duty in the civil war. Depending on the start date some say 1865, others 1863 we are at the 150th anniversary of reconstruction, just after the war ended and lincoln died, when 4 million slaves were suddenly freed, and a split country raggedly tried to heal. Posts may contain affiliate links, meaning cwba might get a commission from purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. Historian greg downs on what modern democrats can learn from reconstruction republicans.
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