A View from the History Department

Throughout the last few weeks in history, we have covered a variety of topics ranging from the Renaissance and the Reformation to the Civil War and Reconstruction. Throughout these topics, students have been able to explore "change" in history. Through the Renaissance and Reformation, the world began to focus on human achievement and potential, weakening the power of the Catholic Church in Europe and allowing people to think for themselves, without the impact of the church. In the Civil War, students learn about what caused the country to fracture into two separate entities. After the war, the country adopted a wide spread abolition policy, shaking the foundation of the country to its core. Leaders like Lincoln, Johnson, and Grant, needed to figure out ways to implement changes that would allow the country to rebuild and move forward. Both of these periods of time drastically shaped the course of history and put the world on a much needed path of acceptance and tolerance for all.