Newly Reissued with a New Introduction: From the "preeminent historian of Reconstruction" (New York Times Book Review); a newly updated edition of the prize-winning classic work on the post-Civil War period which shaped modern America.Eric Foner's "masterful treatment of one of the most complex periods of American history" (New Republic) redefined how the post-Civil War period was viewed. Reconstruction chronicles the way in which Americans—black and white—responded to the unprecedented changes unleashed by the war and the end of slavery. It addresses the ways in which the emancipated slaves' quest for economic autonomy and equal citizenship shaped the political agenda of Reconstruction; the remodeling of Southern society and the place of planters; merchants; and small farmers within it; the evolution of racial attitudes and patterns of race relations; and the emergence of a national state possessing vastly expanded authority and committed; for a time; to the principle of equal rights for all Americans. This "smart book of enormous strengths" (Boston Globe) remains the standard work on the wrenching post-Civil War period—an era whose legacy still reverberates in the United States today.
#680428 in Books 1989-03-08 1989-03-08Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 6.00 x 2.00l; #File Name: 006091453X690 pagesEric FonerEthnic StudiesCivil War
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. State of the Art Reconstruction interpretationBy John Hamer; Jr.With the June; 2014 issue of The Atlantic reopening a worthwhile discussion of reparations for African-Americans; there should be a corresponding revival of interest in what happened to the enslaved people after the Civil War. No better place to go for a clear; accurate; complete discussion of Reconstruction than Eric Foner's important book.While the impact on the emancipated and their children is central; this is a comprehensive treatment of a complex subject. A more accurate title might be The Reconstruction Era in the United States; for Foner covers not only the usual ground of Presidential and Radical Reconstruction but also discusses the impact on the north of the end of slavery; broad economic developments; and the twists and turns of the Republican and Democratic parties through the election of 1876 and the surrender of black freedoms in exchange for a Hayes presidency.This broad scope is important because the Civil War may have been primarily about slavery; its shadow fell across virtually every aspect of American society; economics; and politics. Much of what textbooks generally discuss as "The Gilded Age:" robber barons; railroad expansion; growing inequality; corruption in all regions and at all levels of government and business; etc. are more properly understood in the context of the country's response and recovery to changes wrought by the Civil War.Read this book if you have a serious interest in the U.S. in the post-Civil War era or to see some of the bizarre origins of current social problems.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great read about an often misunderstood but critically important periodBy Alex BumazhnyVery grateful that someone took on a comprehensive single volume on Reconstruction; a very important period that sets the context for the next century of inequality experience by African Americans and laid the seeds for the civil rights movement in the 50s and the 60s. Book hits the period from many angles as a comprehensive history book should. National and regional (Southern and Northern) politics; economy; legislative initiatives; and labor and other practical issues faced by African Americans are discussed. The book is especially timely now as the period is illustrative of how political parities evolve; at times at a very rapid pace. The book is a bit long for someone not used to reading history but definitely worth it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Congress; Abolitionists; and InequalityBy Ronald Douglas BerkebileReconstruction: America's Unfinished...is one of the most comprehensive treatments of the reconstruction period available. This book is for the serious reconstruction student and offers a diverse look at the consequentially contentious relationships in the nation; cautious governmental programs; and uncontrollable southern inequality. The struggle for African American equality is dishearteningly depicted in the South and is frustratingly slow for northern abolitionists. Foner capture's the debilitating nature of the federal government struggling with southern reinstatement; distrustful provisional governors; and the persistence of persecution; lynchings; and mobocracy. There was no benchmark for dealing with these issues. Congressmen were innovative; but innovation was often met with less than desirable results. While there are short interludes about the Presidents; this book details the congressional activity of the period.www.AncestralHistory.org highly recommends this book for families searching for notable and famous ancestors during this period
