About the book
For a generation, scholarship on the Reconstruction era has rightly focused on the struggles of the recently emancipated for a meaningful freedom and defined its success or failure largely in those terms. In The Ordeal of the Reunion, Mark Wahlgren Summers goes beyond this vitally important question, focusing on Reconstruction’s need to form an enduring Union without sacrificing the framework of federalism and republican democracy. Assessing the era nationally, Summers emphasizes the variety of conservative strains that confined the scope of change, highlights the war’s impact and its aftermath, and brings the West and foreign policy into an integrated narrative. In sum, this book offers a fresh explanation for Reconstruction’s demise and a case for its essential successes as well as its great failures. Indeed, this book demonstrates the extent to which the victors’ aims in 1865 were met — and at what cost.
Summers depicts not just a heroic, tragic moment with equal rights advanced and then betrayed but a time of achievement and consolidation, in which nationhood and emancipation were placed beyond repeal and the groundwork was laid for a stronger, if not better, America to come.
Editions of The Ordeal of the Reunion
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469617572
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469664071
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890870254
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469617589
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469617596
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890870247
Read an Excerpt
For a generation, scholarship on the Reconstruction era has rightly focused on the struggles of the recently emancipated for a meaningful freedom and defined its success or failure largely in those terms. In The Ordeal of the Reunion, Mark Wahlgren Summers goes beyond this vitally important question, focusing on Reconstruction’s need to form an enduring Union without sacrificing the framework of federalism and republican democracy. Assessing the era nationally, Summers emphasizes the variety of conservative strains that confined the scope of change, highlights the war’s impact and its aftermath, and brings the West and foreign policy into an integrated narrative. In sum, this book offers a fresh explanation for Reconstruction’s demise and a case for its essential successes as well as its great failures. Indeed, this book demonstrates the extent to which the victors’ aims in 1865 were met — and at what cost.
Summers depicts not just a heroic, tragic moment with equal rights advanced and then betrayed but a time of achievement and consolidation, in which nationhood and emancipation were placed beyond repeal and the groundwork was laid for a stronger, if not better, America to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Ordeal of the Reunion about?
For a generation, scholarship on the Reconstruction era has rightly focused on the struggles of the recently emancipated for a meaningful freedom and defined its success or failure largely in those terms. In The Ordeal of the Reunion, Mark Wahlgren Summers goes beyond this vitally important question, focusing on Reconstruction’s need to form an enduring Union without sacrificing the framework of federalism and republican democracy. Assessing the era nationally, Summers emphasizes the variety of conservative strains that confined the scope of change, highlights the war’s impact and its aftermath, and brings the West and foreign policy into an integrated narrative. In sum, this book offers a fresh explanation for Reconstruction’s demise and a case for its essential successes as well as its great failures. Indeed, this book demonstrates the extent to which the victors’ aims in 1865 were met — and at what cost.
Summers depicts not just a heroic, tragic moment with equal rights advanced and then betrayed but a time of achievement and consolidation, in which nationhood and emancipation were placed beyond repeal and the groundwork was laid for a stronger, if not better, America to come.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Ordeal of the Reunion?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of The Ordeal of the Reunion?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469617572
How long is The Ordeal of the Reunion and how many pages does it have?
The Ordeal of the Reunion has 528 page(s)
Is The Ordeal of the Reunion part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Littlefield History of the Civil War Era
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Ordeal of the Reunion?
Mark Wahlgren Summers
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Ordeal of the Reunion is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469617572) and paperback(ISBN 9781469664071) and ebook(ISBN 9798890870254) and ebook(ISBN 9781469617589) and ebook(ISBN 9781469617596) and pdf(ISBN 9798890870247)
Where can I buy The Ordeal of the Reunion online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy The Ordeal of the Reunion?