Reconstruction Updated Edition: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 (Harper Perennial Modern Classics)

From the'preeminent historian of Reconstruction'(New York Times Book Review), the prize-winning classic work on the post-Civil War period that 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. 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.-- Introduction To The 2014 Anniversary Edition -- The World The War Made -- Rehearsals For Reconstruction -- The Meaning Of Freedom -- Ambiguities Of Free Labor -- The Failure Of Presidential Reconstruction -- The Making Of Radical Reconstruction -- Blueprints For A Republican South -- Reconstruction : Political And Economic -- The Challenge Of Enforcement -- The Reconstruction Of The North -- The Politics Of Depression -- Redemption And After -- Epilogue: The River Has Its Bend. Eric Foner. First Perennial Classics Edition Published 2002.... Reissued 2014--title Page Verso. With A New Introduction: ... A Newly Updated Edition Of The Prizewinning Classic Work On The Post-civil War Period That Shaped Modern America.--back Cover. Original Edition Published As Hardback: New York : Harper & Row, 1988. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 615-641) And Index. National Book Award Finalist xlii, 690 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : 23 cm Historian Eric Foner chronicles the way in which Americans -- black and white -- responded to the unprecedented changes unleashed by the war and the end of slavery. He addresses the quest of emancipated slaves searching for economic autonomy and equal citizenship, and describes the remodeling of Southern society, 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 "A hardcover edition of this book was published in 1988 by Harper & Row, Publishers. First Perennial Classics edition published 2002"--Title page verso "With a new introduction"--Back cover Includes bibliographical references (pages 615-641) and index The world the war made -- Rehearsals for Reconstruction -- The meaning of freedom -- Ambiguities of free labor -- The failure of presidential Reconstruction -- The making of radical Reconstruction -- Blueprints for a Republican South -- Reconstruction: Political and economic -- The challenge of enforcement -- The Reconstruction of the North -- The politics of Depression -- Redemption and after -- Epilogue: "The river has its bend." National Book Award finalist

This "masterful treatment of one of the most complex periods of American history" (New Republic) made history when it was originally published in 1988. It redefined how Reconstruction was viewed by historians and people everywhere in its chronicling of how Americans — black and white — responded to the unprecedented changes unleashed by the war and the end of slavery. This "smart book of enormous strengths" (Boston Globe) has since gone on to become the classic work on the wrenching post-Civil War period — an era whose legacy reverberates still today in the United States.

"...a masterful treatment of one of the most complex periods of American history."--New Republic

Describes the changes brought about by the Civil War, discusses the impact of slavery's end, and looks at the political, economic, and social aspects of Reconstruction. ON January 1, 1863, after a winter storm swept up the east coast of the United States, the sun rose in a cloudless sky over Washington, D.C.