Coursera Spring Sale
40% Off Coursera Plus Annual!
Grab it
Explore the critical period following the Civil War in this 55-minute university lecture examining the collapse of Reconstruction from 1870-1877 and its lasting consequences. Delve into the pivotal 1868 presidential election, the first post-Civil War election where freed slaves could exercise their voting rights, and analyze the complex political and social dynamics of the 1860s and 1870s. Learn how the promise of Reconstruction was systematically undermined and ultimately defeated, setting the stage for the emergence of Jim Crow laws and decades of institutionalized segregation. Understand the contested nature of American national identity during this transformative era as the nation grappled with the meaning of freedom, citizenship, and equality in the aftermath of slavery's abolition. Gain insights into how the failure of Reconstruction shaped American political and social development well into the 20th century, examining the long-term consequences of this critical period in American history. Part of Yale University's comprehensive DeVane Lecture series "America at 250: A History," delivered by Professor David Blight, Sterling Professor of History and African American Studies and one of the country's foremost authorities on the history of slavery and the Civil War.
