UNIT 2: A UNION DISSOLVED-Updated 03-08-05

Spring 2005

**Tentative Topics and Readings for Hist 112 Civil War & Reconstruction:

(instructor may modify the readings, etc. as deemed necessary)

Note: Internet sources to explore for topics for your semester paper

Civil War research sources (PBS)

Also, The American Civil War Homepage (Univ. of TN, Knoxville), and

American Civil War Info.

Week 5 (Feb. 14)-- -Presentations, Tues. Feb. 15th

Topics:

-Dred Scott (from McPherson, ch. 6, pp. 170-81); The Election of 1860; Abraham Lincoln; “Black Republicanism”; Secession (1860); Fort Sumter; the CSA; Regional Disparities in Prosecuting the War

Readings:

-McPherson, Chapts. 7-8

-Perman, Chapt. 3

Web Sites:

-Mr. Lincoln’s Virtual Library (Lib. of Congress) http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9803/lincoln.html

-Abraham Lincoln Digitalization Project (No.

Ill Univ.)

-So. Carolina Decl. of Secession

http://www.americancivilwar.info/pages/southcarolina_declaration.asp

Week 6 (Feb. 21)—no class on Thurs. Feb. 24^th

Topics: Be sure to have these readings done for class ON TUES. since we will not meet on Thurs.

-Choosing sides; the social implications of the war’s outbreak on people and communities, North & South

Readings:

-McPherson, Chapts. 9-10

-Robertson, Chapts. 1-2

-Faust, Intro, Chapt. 1

Web sites:

-The Valley of the Shadow: 2 Communities in the American Civil War (U VA) http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu/

-Choose the 1^st of 3 parts, “The Eve of War,” and look through the Letters & Diaries section as well as the Maps & Images

-Choose the 2^nd part, “The War Years,” but focus on the early stages and use the same sections as above

Week 7 (Feb. 28)

Topics:

-the early Civil War; generals and soldiers; Bull Run (Manassas); Fremont-West. Dept. (Missouri)

Readings:

-McPherson, Chapts. 11-15

-Perman, Chapt. 4 (89- top 97), Chapt. 5 (124- top 130)

-Robertson, Chapt. 3

-**Reserve Article: Wallenstein, Peter, “Which Side are You on? The Social Origins of White Union Troops From Civil War Tennessee,” Journal of East Tennessee History, Vol. 63 (1991): 72-103.

Week 8 (March 7) Presentations on Tues. March 8^th.

Topics:

-more about the soldiering, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation

Readings:

-McPherson, Chapts. 16-18

-Perman, Chapt. 6 & 10; Add Robertson, Chapt. 4

Web site:

-the Emancipation Proclamation (Nat’l Archives) click on Transcript of the Proclamation near the bottom

http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/

Week 9 (March 14) Mid-term on Thurs. (Mar. 17^th)

Readings:

- Add Robertson, Chapts. 5-6

-McPherson, 19-22

Web site: Fifty-Fourth Mass. Infantry (of “Glory” fame), good site with primary sources http://extlab1.entnem.ufl.edu/olustee/54th_MS_inf.html

Week 10 (March 21)—SPRING BREAK WEEK!!!!

***Please note that if you would like for me to look at your rough draft, it must be turned in to me the Tues. following Spring Break, Tues. Mar. 29^th.