Black Reconstruction in America 1860-1880

THE most important history of the United States I've read. If you are pressed for time, read chapters 4 and 5. It answers the “whys” of the century better than any other effort. Why was there a civil war, why did it play out the way it did, and so on.

Learned a lot still going to have to go back because the course isn't finished yet. There are a lot of details I will notice when I have to go back to certain chapters.