A Political History Of Connecticut During The Civil War A Dissertation Etc

Author : Carol C. Patterson-Martineau
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 208 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (866 download)

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Download or read book Origins of Patriotism and Dissent in the American Civil War written by Carol C. Patterson-Martineau and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Windham and Litchfield Counties are Connecticut's "bookends;" positioned, respectively, in the northeast and northwest corners of the State and separated at their closest borders by fewer than one hundred miles. In 1860, they were similar in many respects; largely agrarian, overwhelmingly white and primarily Congregationalist. Lincoln carried both counties in the 1860 election, but the outbreak of war saw a significant and influential faction of Copperhead dissenters in Litchfield. And while Windham's immediate reaction to the conflict was vocal, decisive and united, Litchfield's response was silence and inaction. This thesis addresses two questions: why did reactions to the war differ so drastically in Litchfield and Windham, and what circumstances created pro-Southern sympathies in Litchfield but not in Windham. It relies heavily on period newspapers; and also utilizes numerous county histories compiled between 1845 and 1920. These minutely detailed narratives were used as both primary and secondary sources, as their strong biases reflect the values and prejudices of their subject communities at the times they were written. With an eye toward tracing the evolution of local political thought and social consciousness, the study examines the histories of Windham and Litchfield, focusing on five key elements: demographics of early settlement; the affect of Congregationalism on the introduction and growth of religious diversity; the Revolutionary War; the demise of Federalism and issues of race and slavery within the context of the abolitionist movement. It also considers topography as it related to each community's ability to travel and access information. The thesis finds that the conditions of their earliest settlements caused a tradition of unquestioned conservatism to develop in Litchfield that rendered the County homogeneously Congregationalist until well into the mid-nineteenth century. In Windham, the religious diversity generated by the Great Awakenings lent itself to questioning authority and acceptance of more liberal thought within the community. This religious diversity also contributed to the growth of abolitionism in Windham, although the primary catalyst was outrage over the persecution of Prudence Crandall and the fear of outside indignation. Participation in the Revolutionary War had a strong unifying effect in northeastern Connecticut, which did not develop in Litchfield County due to its isolated location and the presence of a strong Tory faction. Bitterness over the demise of Federalism in the Jeffersonian Period further reinforced conservative tradition in Litchfield among the upper socioeconomic class; while in Windham the absence of any significant wealthy upper class -- and a vocal non-Congregational minority -- allowed the community to complete the transition more quickly, with less rancor and less polarization. These divergences in local history shaped local political thought, the emotional community and, ultimately, response to the Civil War. As scholars turn to the more narrow lenses of race, gender and class to better understand America's bloodiest conflict, it is important to move beyond the simple questions of political partisanship and the presence or absence of abolitionism and determine why these attitudes existed. Answering these questions is crucial to understanding and accepting our past, in fact, rather then propagating a version of history that suits our twenty-first century sensibilities. Ultimately, these answers will help to illustrate how local history and community perceptions customized the issues faced by all Connecticut citizens -- and all Americans -- throughout the Civil War.