Antebellum America through Reconstruction

Course Essential Questions:

• What is the role of reform in shaping an American identity?

• How did the Civil War redefine American citizenship?

First Semester Focus:

Antebellum America through Reconstruction

This course exposes students to the birth of a Republican nation and the time period that defines what it means to be American. The themes of conflict and compromise will be used to explore our relationship with other nations and within our own. Beginning with the Louisiana Purchase and moving through the War of 1812, westward expansion and the American Civil War, students will see how the nation adapts to growth. Students will also trace the impact of unifying experiences like the Era of Good Feeling, Clay’s American System, and the reform era. The study of New Hampshire history is embedded within this course by investigating the role of New Hampshire and its citizens in this time period of growth, disunion, and Reconstruction. The course concludes with an investigation into how reunification and Reconstruction shape the future of our country.