The American Civil War at 150: New Approaches

June 6 - July 2, 2010

Director's Letter

Readings

Visiting Scholars

Application

Participant Guidelines

The Georgia Historical Society invites you to join us for a four-week residential seminar of study, research, and discussion as we explore "The American Civil War at 150: New Approaches." Our program was selected as a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar for College Teachers for Summer 2010.  GHS will offer a four-week session from June 6 - July 2, 2010.  An NEH Seminar includes 16 participants (which includes two graduate students) working in collaboration with leading scholars. Participants will have access to a major library collection, with time reserved to pursue individual research and study projects. The Seminar is free of charge and participants will receive a $3,300 stipend to help cover expenses. This seminar is part of the National Endowment for the Humanities' We the People initiative and is designed primarily for teachers of American undergraduate students.

"The American Civil War at 150: New Approaches" will engage college and university teachers in four weeks of rigorous study to include intensive readings of primary and secondary sources, discussion sessions, guest lectures, and site visits to Sapelo Island, Ebenezer Creek, and Fort Pulaski. Together we'll read and discuss new scholarship on the War and will carry out individual research projects using the extensive holdings of the Georgia Historical Society's Library and Archives. Our hope is that this Seminar will challenge your preconceived notions of the reasons behind the conflict, the people who lived through it, and the consequences of a war that threatened to undermine the American experiment and undo the handiwork of the Founders. 

Many of the issues that divided the Civil War generation - race in American society, the growth and scope of federal authority, states rights vs. centralized power, the role of minorities in American life - are still critical to civic life in our own day.  As the national sesquicentennial commemoration of the Civil War approaches in 2011, a greater understanding of these issues will be more important than ever.  We hope that your participation in this seminar will enhance the level of instruction about this critical period in American history in college classrooms around the country and thereby engage students to think critically about contemporary problems and conflicts. 

For more information about this NEH Seminar, please visit the Georgia Historical Society's website at www.georgiahistory.com and follow the NEH link, or contact the Program Coordinator, Charles Snyder, by phone at 912.651.2125 x.40, or by e-mail at csnyder@georgiahistory.com. Applications must be post-marked by March 2, 2010 to be considered.

Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.