HIST 232: The American Revolution and Civil War: A Political History

This course examines American political history in two crucial time periods: 1760-1789 and 1850-1880. The first half of the course examines the political debates of the late colonial period leading up to the Declaration of Independence, the main concepts of the American Revolution, and the drafting and ratification of the Constitution. The second half analyzes political conflicts that led to the Civil War, debates about slavery and national power during the war, and reconstruction policies implemented after the war. This course is intended to provide you with a broad base of knowledge about the American Revolution and the Civil War, an understanding of how political developments during the two eras defined the American political structure and values, and an awareness of the place of the American Revolution and the Civil War in historical memory. [SS] Prof. Rosen