Critical Social Inquiry 0206 - Writing the Civil War

This course will explore the questions surrounding the coming of the American Civil War (1861-1865), the war itself, Reconstruction (1866-1877) and how we have come to remember those events today. As much a writing seminar as a history class, the course will focus on selections from the voluminous writing the conflict produced: letters, journals, diaries, and autobiographies. We will study poetry, short stories and novels; biographies and scholarly monographs and articles on the various debates surrounding the war. These forms of writing will also serve as models for student written work. Students will be expected to participate in class discussion and complete four writing assignments.

Culture, Humanities, and Languages Power, Community and Social Justice Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.