Reconstruction and the West

Choose one question pertaining to developments in the South and one question pertaining to developments in the West.

The South

-Columbia historian Eric Foner quotes W.E.B. DuBois in calling Reconstruction a "splendid failure." After studying the events of the late 19th century, defend whether or not you agree with his position. What are the long-term implications?

Foner, E. (1983, October/November). The new view of reconstruction. American Heritage Magazine, 34(6). Retrieved from

-Some historians argue that Radical Reconstruction was not radical enough. After studying the events of the late 19th century, defend whether or not you agree with this position. What are the long-term implications?

-The post-Civil War South has been called the "New South." In what ways did it succeed in reinventing itself? In what ways did it fail?

The West

-How did western settlement, particularly in terms of railroad expansion and farming, lead to inevitable conflicts with the Native Americans? Highlight at least one engagement in your answer.

-How did the culture of the Plains Indians, specifically the Lakota Sioux, change in the late 19th century?

-Describe President Grant's Peace Policy and the subsequent widespread adaptation of the reservation as a solution to the "Indian problem." What was life like on a reservation in, say, 1890?