F305Z Fall 2024 Descent to Civil War

F305Z  Descent to Civil War
Wednesdays, 9:40—11:05, Oct. 9—Oct. 16
Two sessions
Instructor: Randy Ferryman
Major political figures and a majority of Americans in multiple public surveys have concluded that the American political system is currently under stress not experienced since the antebellum period prior to the breakdown of the system that led to the Civil War. This course aims to lay out the circumstances and key factors that broke the system to provide a historical foundation for determining the level of stress our current system is experiencing. Many similarities and dissimilarities between the earlier period and today will be highlighted, particularly as they can be viewed during the highly contentious political tension that occurred in the 15 years prior to the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. The roles played by major political actors, political parties, the presidency, Congress, the Supreme Court, and slavery will be examined.
Randy Ferryman is a retired Central Intelligence Agency senior officer who has taught Civil War history at OLLI Mason since 2016. He has guided 50 tours of major Civil War battlefields for national security professionals. Mr. Ferryman has a B.A. in History and an M.S. in Administration.