The constitutional crisis in Maryland during the U.S. Civil War is about a divided Nation, fake news, election fraud, the arrest of political opponents, and the slippery slope experienced once the Constitution was set aside. Come see how Civil War history is a lesson for us today.
- The first session provides an introduction to the events leading up to the Civil War, beginning with the political sentiments of Marylanders in the early days of the war and how Maryland’s “Constitutional Unionists” were deemed “disloyal,” “southern sympathizers,” “secessionists,” and “traitors.” This session concludes with the events leading up to the Pratt Street riots, the Union attack against Baltimore, and the arrest and imprisonment of Baltimore’s Police Chief and Police Commissioners, that led to the ensuing appointment of a federal provost marshal to oversee Baltimore.
- The second session covers the actions, proclamations, and protests of the resulting special session of the Maryland Legislature, as well as the international dissemination of false news reports from Washington detailing how General Tench Tilghman of Talbot County Maryland was to lead a rebel army to join an attack against Washington. This session concludes with details surrounding the arrest and imprisonment of the Maryland Legislature.
- The third session focuses on the federal control and manipulation of the Maryland elections in 1861 through 1863, and covers the reasons behind the arrest and imprisonment of General Tilghman, Talbot County Judge Richard Carmichael, District Attorney J.C.W. Powell, and newspaper editors of Maryland.
What to Expect: Learn about the constitutional crisis experienced in Maryland during the early years of the war, and lesser-known facts about Maryland and the Lincoln administration during this time period. This course is designed for those with any level of understanding of Maryland Civil War history but will also be especially intriguing for anyone interested in political science or Abraham Lincoln.
Here are the links to session recordings for this course:
Here is the link to the handout folder
