America's Civil War History 393  Advent 2007  Syllabus  Professor John C. Willis

 

Course Objectives           This course examines the causes, character, and consequences of that great American tragedy, the Civil War.  We will consider the failure of antebellum political mechanisms, the growth of sectionalism, justifications for and against secession, the methods and implications of war, competing constitutional systems during the conflict, efforts to eradicate Southern separatism, and the lingering implications of the nation's fratricidal dispute.   Assignments and Grades           Grades will be determined on the basis of a mid-term examination (40 percent), a final examination (40 percent), and class participation (20 percent).  Class participation will be evaluated at each meeting on the basis of your attendance, discussion of assigned texts, performance on quizzes, and original contributions to our understanding of the Civil War.            Unless otherwise noted, assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day designated for their completion.  Consultation            I will hold office hours regularly on Tuesdays (9:30-11:00) and Wednesdays (3:00-4:30), and at other times by appointment.  Look for me at Stirling's on Tuesdays and in my office (Walsh-Ellett #201) on Wednesdays.  I can be reached via e-mail at jwillis@sewanee.edu, or by phone at my office (598-1534) or home (598-9249; please do not call after 9:00 p.m.).  Published Sources            David H. Donald, et al., The Civil War and Reconstruction             Drew Gilpin Faust, Mothers of Invention             John F. Marszalek, Sherman's March to the Sea             Sam R. Watkins, Co. Aytch  Back to Top

 

Class Sessions •    August •    September •    October •    November •    December August         30       Introductions  September    4       The American Context                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 1-26                                   •Alexis de Tocqueville, from Democracy in America:                                        •"Of Individualism in Democratic Countries"                                        •"Why the Americans are so Restless...."                          6       Developing Differences                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 27-73                                   •William Lloyd Garrison, "The Liberator"                                   •Edward Pessen, "Similarities . . . North and South"                                   •James McPherson, "Differences . . . North and South"                        11       Disputes and Compromises                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 74-85                                   •U.S. Grant, Causes of the Mexican War                                   •Abraham Lincoln, "Spot Resolutions"                                   •Alexander H. Stephens, "The Honor of This Country"                                   •John C. Calhoun, "Southern Address"                                   •William H. Seward, "A Higher Law"                        13       Unexpected Tensions                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 85-98                                   •Charles Sumner, "The Crime Against Kansas"                                   •Albany (N.Y.) Evening Journal, 23 May 1856                                   •Springfield Illinois State Register, 26 May 1856                                   •Charleston (S.C.) Mercury, 28 May 1856                                   •Louisville (Ky.) Journal, 28 May 1856                                   •Richmond (Va.) Whig, 31 May 1856                        18       The House Dividing                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 99-115                                   •James Henry Hammond, "Cotton is King"                        20       Elections of 1860                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 116-124                                   •National Democratic Party Platform, 1860                                   •Constitutional Democratic Party Platform, 1860                                   •Republican Party Platform, 1860                                   •Constitutional Union Party Platform, 1860                                   •George Templeton Strong, "whether I am a Republican"                                   •The Presidential Election, 1860                        25       Complications of the Secession Winter and Spring                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 125-167                                   •South Carolina, "The Immediate Causes of Secession"                                   •Date of Secession Compared to 1860 Black Population                                   •Staunton (Va.) Spectator, 13 November 1860                                   •Staunton (Va.) Spectator, 27 November 1860                                   •Alexander Stephens, "Let us, therefore, reason together"                                   •John Crittenden, Compromise Proposal, December 1860                                   •Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address                        27       The Realities of Division                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 168-182                                   •Alexander Stephens, "Cornerstone Speech"                                   •Jefferson Davis, "Our Cause is Just"                                   •Population of the Future Confederate States, 1860                                   •Population of the Border Slaveholding States, 1860                                   •Distribution of Farms by Acreage, 1860                                    •Distribution of Slaveholders by Size of Holdings, 1860                                   •Percentage of Urban Population, 1790-1860  October          2       Early Battles                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 183-195                                   •Sullivan Ballou to "My very dear Sarah," 14 July 1861                          4       Grant's Emergence in the West                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 196-202                          9       No class meeting                        11       Lee's Second Chance                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 203-216                        16       In the Ranks                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 225-261                                   •Co. Aytch                        25       Trouble on the Homefronts                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 261-295, 325-346                                   •Nathaniel Hawthorne, "Chiefly about War Matters"                                   •George B. McClellan to Abraham Lincoln, 7 July 1862                                   •Abraham Lincoln, Emancipation Proclamation                        29       First examination due by 6:00 p.m.                        30       The Lessons of Antietam and Fredericksburg                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 216-224                                   •Robert E. Lee to Jefferson Davis, 3 September 1862  November     1       The Encounter at Gettysburg                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 347-357                                   •Chancellorsville, 2-4 May 1863                                   •Robert E. Lee, General Orders, No. 73                                   •Gettysburg, 1 July 1863                          6       Gettysburg:  Planned Assaults and their Implications                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 347-357                                   •Gettysburg, 2 July 1863                                    •Gettysburg, 3 July 1863                                   •Robert E. Lee to Jefferson Davis, 31 July 1863                                   •Abraham Lincoln,  Gettysburg Address                          8       From Vicksburg to Chattanooga                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 357-369                                   •Vicksburg Campaign, March-July 1863                                   •Battles for Chattanooga, 24-25 November 1863                        13       Grant and Lee, 1864                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 370-385                                   •U.S. Grant, Meeting President Lincoln                                   •U.S. Grant, Command of the Army of the Potomac                                   •U.S. Grant, Plans for the 1864 Campaign                        15       The Atlanta Campaign                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 385-393                                   •Atlanta Campaign, May-September 1864                                   •Kennesaw Mountain, 27 June 1864                                   •W. T. Sherman, Orders to ... Atlanta                         20       The Election of 1864                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 409-427                                   •Democratic Party Platform, 1864                                   •Republican Party Platform, 1864                                   •Thirteenth Amendment, 1865                        27       The War at Home                                   •Mothers of Invention                        29        Sherman's March                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 385-393                                   •Sherman's March to the Sea                                   •W. T. Sherman, Special Field Orders, No. 120                                    •W. T. Sherman to Henry W. Halleck, 24 December 1864                                   •W. T. Sherman, Special Field Orders, No. 15, [1865]                                   •Carolinas Campaign, September 1864-April 1865  December      4       Confederate Collapse                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 449-464                                   •Petersburg Campaign, 15 June 1864-3 April 1865                                   •Cleburne, et al., to Johnston, et al., 2 January 1864                                   •Johnston to Hardee, et al., 31 January 1864                                   •Robert E. Lee to Andrew Hunter, 11 January 1865                                   •Charleston (S.C.) Mercury, 13 January 1865                                   •56th Va. Reg't. to Richmond Whig, 14 February 1865                          6       Concluding Complications                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 465-474                                   •Appomattox Campaign, March-April 1865                                   •Edwin M. Stanton to U.S. Grant, 3 March 1865                                   •U.S. Grant, Meetings with Robert E. Lee, 9-10 April 1865                                   •Sherman to Grant or Halleck, 18 April 1865                                   •W.T. Sherman, First Agreement...., 18 April 1865                                   •Edwin M. Stanton to U.S. Grant, 21 April 1865                         11       War's Remembrance                                   •Civil War and Reconstruction, pp. 474-476                                   •Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, 1865                                   •Robert E. Lee, "Farewell to Army of Northern Virginia"                                   •Robert E. Lee to Jefferson Davis, 20 April 1865                         14       Second examination, 2:00 p.m.  Last updated 19 November 2007  Back to Top