HIST 214: Rethinking the American Civil War

Instructor: Cliff Clark
History
Spring 2012

Course Description
A central focus for this new course on the American Civil War is on how Americans attempted to visualize and understand their war experience. The course will incorporate units on Civil War photographs and Civil War maps.

Visual Assignments

Introduction

One of the central problems of the Civil War faced by the non-combatants was how to understand and visualize what was happening during the battles. Two modes for providing visual information during this period were either the newly invented photographs or maps. Both mapmakers and photographers, however, faced significant problems. Glass plate photographs required long exposure time and immediate development which made it impossible to take them during the battles themselves. Maps had the further difficulties of rendering the land's typography and for tracking movement on the landscape. Nevertheless, photographers and mapmakers tried to appease the intense public curiosity about what was happening. In terms of maps, the newer birds-eye views became popular.

Readings and Assignment Material

Reading timeline and related visual assignments (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 113kB Jun13 12).