| "America
on the Eve of the Civil
War"
University of Richmond
April 29, 2009
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 A
Two-Volume DVD Set of
the complete conference proceedings, including
question and answer sessions and opening and closing
comments.
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"America
on the Eve of the Civil War"
A collection of discussions from the 2009 Signature
Conference. Edited by Dr. Edward L. Ayers and
published by UVA Press. Coming 2010.
The
first in a series of annual Signature Conferences
sponsored by the Virginia
Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission
was held on Wednesday, April 29. Dr. Edward L. Ayers,
President of the University of Richmond,  brought
together many of the finest Civil War historians in
the country for an unscripted, open dialogue about
the United States in 1859. What was happening two
years before the firing of the first shots in the
nation's deadliest conflict? What did people know
and what were they thinking?
"America
on the Eve of the Civil War" presents a
fresh perspective on enduring issues. Conducted in
an interactive format like news shows, renowned historians
discuss events of 1859 and their effect, limiting
themselves only to what would have been known at that
time. The
four sessions include:
Taking
Stock of the Nation in 1859
| Moderator: |
Edward
L. Ayers, President, University
of Richmond |
| Panelists: |
Christy
S. Coleman, American Civil
War Center
Gary W. Gallagher, University
of Virginia
Walter Johnson, Harvard
University
Joan Waugh, University
of California Los Angeles |
The
United States is completing the most exhaustive
census in its history and striking patterns
are emerging. All parts of the country are
booming, with rapid growth in the Northeast,
South, and West. Are the regions becoming
more integrated, though, or divergent? Will
politics calm in the midst of this growth
or continue to be stirred up? Will religion
and reform flourish or be smothered by prosperity?
The
Future of Virginia and the South
| Moderator: |
Edward
L. Ayers, President, University
of Richmond |
| Panelists: |
Charles
B. Dew, Williams College
Robert C. Kenzer, University
of Richmond
Gregg D. Kimball, Library
of Virginia
Lauranett L. Lee, Virginia
Historical Society |
The year of 1859 saw the slave-based economy
of the South at an all-time peak. Slaves have
never been worth more, cotton has never been
worth more, and the slave-based economy of
the upper South has never been more diversified
or valuable. Will these trends continue?
Making
Sense of John Brown's Raid
| Moderator: |
Edward
L. Ayers, President, University
of Richmond |
| Panelists: |
David
W. Blight, Yale University
David S. Reynolds, City University
of New York
Manisha Sinha, University
of Massachusetts, Amherst
Clarence E. Walker, University
of California Davis |
The most electrifying event of 1859 was John
Brown's raid on the armory at Harpers Ferry.
Virginia's execution of Brown seems to have
galvanized the North, but many white Northerners,
including the Republicans, refuse to endorse
Brown or his tactics. The long-term effects
of the raid are unclear.
Predictions
for the Election of 1860
| Moderator: |
Edward
L. Ayers, President, University
of Richmond |
| Panelists: |
Jean
H. Baker, Goucher College
Daniel W. Crofts, College
of New Jersey
Nelson D. Lankford, Virginia
Historical Society
Elizabeth R. Varon, Temple
University |
Taking stock of the potential candidates in
each of the two major parties, panelists will
determine who has the best chance of winning
the nomination and the general election. There
is turmoil among the Democrats, the new Republican
Party shows considerable strength, and strong
Southern-rights advocates are calling for
radical change, so predicting a winner may
be difficult.
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This
program is sponsored in part by the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation,
The History Channel, the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities,
and the generous support of our donors, including the Civil
War 150 Council.
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