This course examines the American Civil War through the experiences of the Americans who fought its battles and bore its consequences. We will begin with the "broad sweep"--via Lou Masur's The Civil War: A Concise History. Subsequent weeks will focus on selected battles and campaigns, major socio-political developments (secession and emancipation), and literary depictions of the conflict. We will conclude with a study of Civil War memory making through museums, reenactments, and sesquicentennial celebrations.