How Did the United States Go from a Civil War to an Empire?

Explore American foreign policy after the Civil War.

Ranger Alan Gephardt from the James A. Garfield National Historic Site explains how the vision of Secretary of State William H. Seward guided more than 30 years of international diplomacy. Discover how a rivalry with England and economic interests in Asia led to ports (and more) in Hawaii and Samoa, as well as American intercession in Venezuela.

The Civil War series continues on June 14 with a presentation exploring the methodology of historical archaeology and GIS mapping of Civil War sites.

By the way, if you’re interested in Civil War history, several talks in this series can be viewed online in their entirety, including:

• Antietam: The Deadliest Day in US History
• Juneteenth: The Significance of June 19
• The Atlanta Campaign
• Gettysburg
• The Fourteenth Amendment
• The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
• Life & Legacy of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain