The Battle of Reconstruction

Name: The Battle of Reconstruction
ISBN: 9787532788736

道格拉斯·R.埃格顿 / 周峰Shanghai Translation Publishing House · ChinaJun 2022

4.0

Word count: 321K words
Chapters: 13
ISBN: 9787532788736

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Summary

In the years from 1865 to 1877, following the end of the American Civil War, the United States entered what is known as Reconstruction—a period in which not only the Southern economy but American democracy itself was rebuilt, with reverberations that would be felt a century later in the 1960s and even today.

While exploring state and local politics across America, Douglas R. Egerton traces the struggle of some 1,500 African American officeholders, North and South, who fought for equality against deeply entrenched white resistance in the years since the Civil War.

By 1870—five years after the Confederacy's surrender and thirteen years after the Dred Scott decision ruled that Black people were ineligible for citizenship—Congress moved to abolish slavery and grant Black men the right to vote. That same year, Hiram Revels and Joseph Hayne Rainey became the first African American senator and representative, respectively. In South Carolina, just twenty years after the death of the radical separatist John C. Calhoun, a Black man, Jasper J. Wright, took his seat on the state supreme court… Even the most optimistic abolitionists had never imagined such milestones would be achieved in their lifetimes. Egerton thus argues that this brief Reconstruction era was the most progressive period in American history before the civil rights movement.

Editor's review

The War of Reconstruction is a serious history focused on the period from the end of the American Civil War to 1877, known as Reconstruction. Rather than simply depicting this history as Northern victory and Southern defeat, author Douglas R. Egerton analyzes in depth the complex contests and struggles among multiple forces: the federal government, freed African Americans, Southern white elites, and ordinary people. Egerton's narrative attends not only to grand political decisions, such as the passage of constitutional amendments, but also turns its lens on the concrete experiences of states, communities, and individuals, revealing Reconstruction's promises, hopes, and ultimately heartbreaking failures. The book's value lies in overturning the stereotypes that Reconstruction was "Northern tyranny" or a "total failure," showing it as a profound, revolutionary attempt to build a racially equal society in American history, whose legacy still shapes American society today. Reading it gives readers deep insight into the historical roots of today's American racial issues and an understanding of the difficulty and reversals of institutional change. Egerton's writing is based on detailed archival research; the narrative is clear and powerful, combining scholarly depth with readability, making it an excellent work for understanding a key turning point in American history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in American history, especially the social transformation after the Civil War
Those seeking a deeper understanding of the historical roots of contemporary racial and social tensions in the United States
Readers who enjoy narrative-driven nonfiction history grounded in solid archival research
Researchers or students in political science, sociology, and history

Not a good fit for

Casual readers looking for light entertainment or fast-paced fiction-style narratives
Readers unfamiliar with American history who are unwilling to engage with complex political processes

Reading tips

While reading, consult a map of the United States to follow the locations of the frequently mentioned Southern states, which helps in understanding the distribution and shifts of political power.
It is advisable to sketch a brief timeline of key events between 1865 and 1877 (such as presidential transitions, constitutional amendments, and major legislation) to grasp the overall arc.
When reading the sections on African Americans' struggle for rights, consider their inner connection to the 20th-century civil rights movement, and reflect on both the continuity and the ruptures of history.

About the publisher

Shanghai Translation Publishing House China · Founded in 1978

Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.

版权信息
序言罗伯特·维齐的查尔斯顿
第一章 “他纽扣上的鹰”——为联邦而战的黑人
第二章 “勾销旧账”——战争结束，行动开始
第三章 “土地现在都归北方佬”——自由民局
第四章 “主赐给我们书和教师”——传教士与社区的形成
第五章 “我们将铭记朋友，不忘敌人”——《黑人法典》与黑人大会
第六章 “安德鲁·约翰逊只是一个人”——进步联盟联合起来
第七章 “我们比你知道的多”——投票权和政治服务
第八章 “彻头彻尾的屠杀”——白人的暴力以及重建工作在南方的结束
第九章 “我们将被当人看”——记忆中的重建时代
后记自由精神纪念碑
致谢

FAQ

What is this book's Douban rating?

According to available information, the Chinese edition of this book has received strong reviews on Douban, with a rating above 8.5 (the exact score may fluctuate). It is regarded as an important and highly readable work on the history of America's Reconstruction era.

What is the background of author Douglas R. Egerton?

Douglas R. Egerton is a prominent American historian who has long focused on 19th-century American history, particularly the Civil War and Reconstruction era and African American history. He is a prolific author known for rigorous research and vivid narrative, and this book is one of his representative works.

What distinguishes this book from similar history books?

The book's distinguishing feature is its "bottom-up" perspective: it not only recounts the decisions of political elites but also focuses on the agency and struggles of ordinary grassroots people—newly freed Black Americans and ordinary Southern whites—during Reconstruction, presenting the complex full picture of that history and challenging many traditional narratives.

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About the author

道格拉斯·R.埃格顿 Author

Douglas R. Egerton is an author whose writing focuses on world history. Publicly available information about him is limited, and details such as his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly recorded. One of his works is held in the collection, namely The Battle of Reconstruction. Judging from the title and its common classification, the book belongs to the field of world history and concerns the historical process of the Reconstruction era and issues of war, reflecting the author's interest in narrating major historical turning points. Although only one work is currently available for understanding him, it is still possible to see that Egerton's writing tends to take specific historical events as its starting point, sorting out their context and presenting the process, making it suitable for readers interested in modern world history and Reconstruction-related questions.

周峰 Author

Zhou Feng: publicly available information is limited, and no clear personal biography can be verified. Judging from the twenty-one works held in the collection, his writing centers on legal practice, especially criminal procedure and criminal case handling. His representative works include the three-volume Comprehensive Guide to the Understanding, Application and Judicial Practice of Criminal Procedure Law Provisions and the multi-volume Case Handling Approaches and Interpretations of Difficult Issues in Criminal Law, which focus on understanding statutory provisions, practical application and difficult questions, and are structured as practical reference tools. Besides legal works, the collection also includes titles under world history and general computing, suggesting a broad range of interests, though background information remains insufficient. Overall, his works serve legal practitioners and learners, emphasize the connection between statutory provisions and case practice, and offer considerable reference value.