The Civil War was the defining moment of 19th-century Americans, transforming our political culture forever. Amid broader national currents of emancipation and modern warfare, New York City matured into the nation’s first metropolis between 1850 and 1875. This lecture will focus on the critical and contested links between city and nation in the era of the Civil War, highlighting local Democratic Party politics, the power and powerlessness of the Lincoln administration, and the evolving life of Manhattan’s neighborhoods. Dress is business casual. Please RSVP via the link below to attend.