Course Description
This course examines the era of the American Civil War, with emphasis on its origins, scope, and consequences. It addresses the central role of slavery, how military and civilian affairs intersected, what the war settled and left unresolved, and how Americans have remembered the conflict. The course also explores how issues that divided the nation in the mid-nineteenth century continue to resonate today.
Gary W. Gallagher is the John L. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War Emeritus at the University of Virginia. He is the author or editor of more than forty books, including The Enduring Civil War: Reflections on the Great American Crisis (2020) and Becoming Confederates: Paths to a New National Loyalty (2013). He also won the University of Virginia’s highest teaching award and has appeared in many television documentaries.
Recommended Readings
- Gary W. Gallagher and Joan Waugh, The American War: A History of the Civil War Era
- Gary W. Gallagher, The Enduring Civil War: Reflections on the Great American Crisis