Harper's Weekly was the most popular American publication during the Civil War. It's a great source for getting the mood of Americans during the ebb and flow of the war. Please glance through one of the 1865 issues of Harper's Weekly. You might find particularly interesting the January 14 issue that features Sherman's entrance into Savannah, the May 6 issue that focuses on Lincoln and his assassination or the May 13 issue that focuses on the aftermath of the assassination and the new president, Andrew Johnson. Please comment here on what the issue you read shows about America in 1865. Anything here that shows why it might have been difficult to reconcile North and South? Anything here that gives particular hope that the republic would be restored?
Friday, May 22, 2026
Harper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly was the most popular American publication during the Civil War. It's a great source for getting the mood of Americans during the ebb and flow of the war. Please glance through one of the 1865 issues of Harper's Weekly. You might find particularly interesting the January 14 issue that features Sherman's entrance into Savannah, the May 6 issue that focuses on Lincoln and his assassination or the May 13 issue that focuses on the aftermath of the assassination and the new president, Andrew Johnson. Please comment here on what the issue you read shows about America in 1865. Anything here that shows why it might have been difficult to reconcile North and South? Anything here that gives particular hope that the republic would be restored?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The issue I focused on was the May 6, 1865 issue of Harper's Weekly, which talked about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, and how it contains descriptions of Lincoln, the funeral services, and the people who came to support him and mourn for him. This publication goes over how the nation felt, portraying Lincoln as a person with strong beliefs who gave his life for the greater good. What this issue shows about America in 1865 is that many people felt a connection to Lincoln and the nation he helped save and preserve. The publication shows how America was determined to continue the work Lincoln fought hard to begin. It says that it was difficult to reconcile the North and South because Lincoln was assassinated only a couple days after the Confederates surrendered. After a long war, and a clear loss of the Confederates, it was a bitter move to assassinate the person that caused such great change, so it would be hard for the North to forgive the South when their leader was just murdered after a victory. One thing that gave particular hope that the republic would be restored was the electing of a new president Andrew Johnson. His message was that Lincoln's death would not deteriorate the Union, but it would be a starting point where the people could continue the work of building a better nation and securing what the people fought for.
ReplyDeleteI read the May 6, 1865, issue of Harper’s Weekly, which focused on President Abraham Lincoln and the nation’s reaction to his assassination. The issue contains portraits of Lincoln, images of his funeral, and scenes showing Americans mourning across the country. It gives the impression of a nation that was deeply shocked and grieving just as the Civil War was coming to an end.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that stood out to me was how difficult reconciliation between the North and South would be. Lincoln had been assassinated only days after the Union victory, and many Northerners likely felt anger toward the Confederacy. The images and articles emphasized Lincoln as a national hero and martyr, which could have made forgiveness and reunion more difficult in the immediate aftermath of the war. At the same time, the issue also provided hope that the republic would be restored. Despite the tragedy, the government continued to function, and attention was already turning toward rebuilding the nation under Andrew Johnson. The widespread public mourning for Lincoln showed that many Americans remained committed to preserving the Union and the democratic system he fought to save. Overall, this issue shows an America that was heartbroken but determined.
I chose the May 6, 1865, issue of Harper's Weekly, where the focus was on President Abraham Lincoln, the work he had accomplished, and his assassination. While it's not difficult to see how the North and South were divided, it's maybe also easy to identify the hope that Lincoln encompassed. It's evident that the paper was from the viewpoint of the North when you consider how the South were portrayed in the article for example, "...purposely kept the poorer class of whites ignorant," while this lends a light to how the elite Southerners treated the poor it also is derogatory toward the lower class. While education is a measure of intelligence there is also the level of intelligence that comes from working hard and learning trade skills. The paper also highlighted the great work of President Lincoln and how he was someone to be admired for his dedication to equality. It was hopeful that President Andrew Johnson would continue Lincoln's efforts to bring more equality to the country. The picture of Lincoln with his son, Tad, was somewhat heartbreaking considering his son would grow up without his father's influence. All in all, there is a lot to unpack in this edition: sadness, hope, admiration, heartbreak, and a deceased President that would not realize all his expectations for our great country.
ReplyDeleteI looked at the issue for March 13th, 1865. This issue goes over Andrew Johnsons work in office and what he wanted to do for the war. The intersting part is the statements made at the end of the article. One of the most notable being "There are men and women there who will teach their children to hate the name of Northern men." While the North and South don't currently get along at the time of the publishing they are also predicted that it will be generational. American citizens were so torn between the North and South that they were predicting it to be deliberatly taught to children. However there is a small light at the end of the tunnel, or article if you will. It goes into solving this divide with equality. And how the African Americans will rise to the same power and "the policy which they will most naturally adopt will be that which will bring them into alliance with the poor loyal whites of the South." The author has clear hope that there can and will be change.
ReplyDeleteI focused on May 6,1865. The May 6, 1865 issue of Harper’s Weekly shows that America was in a very emotional and uncertain time after the Civil War, especially because of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. The issue shows a lot of sadness and shock, and it makes it clear that Lincoln was seen as an important leader who many people trusted to help bring the country back together. His death made it even harder for the North and South to reconcile because it increased anger and fear about the future. Since the country had already been torn apart by war, losing Lincoln made people unsure if peace and unity would last. It also shows why reconciliation would be difficult because there was still so much bitterness and distrust between former enemies. However, the issue also gives some hope because it shows that the government continued to function and Andrew Johnson became president. Even though the country was going through a hard time, leadership continued and the republic did not fall apart, which suggests that the United States could still recover and rebuild after the Civil War.
ReplyDeleteI read through the May 13th 1865 issue that focused on the introduction of the new president Andrew Johnson, the outcome of Lincoln's death, and the details of post Civil War America. I enjoyed looking through the information about Andrew Johnson and the details of finding John Wilkes Booth. Although, what I appreciated most was the poem labeled "Marching Home". This poem targets a Northern audience (fitting for a northern news paper) in a hopeful and determined way. The poem states, "WE are marching home at last, Now the cruel war is past, And the time of peace draws near ; We are marching home at last..." This poem acknowledges the victory over the south, while mostly focusing on Northern pride and the privalege of returning home. This poem establishes a patriotism that is unheard of in the modern world. I believe this poem alone is a stamp in history for how the northerners felt about the war. By the end it was less about the achievements made during the war and more about being able to experience the basic liberties in life thereafter. In conclusion, post Civil War America held a glimpse of hope even through Lincoln's brutal assassination.
ReplyDelete