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American Exceptionalism in the Civil War Era | BRI Scholar Talks | Constitution Day 2023

Description

Why is it important to have conversations about contested ideals as Americans? In this special Constitution Day Live episode of Scholar Talks, Tony is joined by Andrew Lang, professor of history at Mississippi State University, to talk about his newest book, ' A Contest of Civilizations: Exposing the Crisis of American Exceptionalism in the Civil War Era.’ Together, they talk through different northern and southern understandings of American ideals, how emancipation and the Union enlistment impact affected the understanding of American exceptionalism, and more.

Related Resources

Constitution Day

Explore our Constitution Day Resources and get access to our Live YouTube Show

Civil War and Reconstruction

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln struggled to preserve the American constitutional republic and Union that ensured liberty and equality for all Americans. To that end, Lincoln brought the country to fight fought to preserve the Union against the secession of the South at his election in 1860. Lincoln also fought to end the moral disgrace of slavery and issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the war in 1863 as a war measure based upon his presidential war powers to weaken the South. At the end of the war, several amendments to the Constitution were ratified to advance the natural and civil rights republic of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution for African-Americans.

Reconstruction | BRI’s Homework Help Series

How did the United States attempt to reunite after the Civil War while also securing the rights of recently freed enslaved people with the passage of the 12th Amendment, 13th Amendment, 14th Amendment and 15th Amendement? How successful was our country in accomplishing these goals? Did the Reconstruction Amendments hurt or help the cause? What were the effects of the Reconstruction Amendments on the states due to incorporation? Our latest Homework Help video explores these questions while encouraging students to analyze the Reconstruction period and its relationship with the principles of liberty and equality.

Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Justice

1 Activities45 Min

In this lesson, students will learn about Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Students will specifically learn about how Lincoln’s actions conform to the idea of justice and how they can apply this idea into actions in their own lives.