A riveting and in depth look at an understudied period in American history. Corrects misconceptions and enlightens.

The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic is a comprehensive look at the history around Reconstruction. While it did drag in some places, I enjoyed the examination of race and minority populations within that time period.

An in-depth and thoroughly researched treatise on Reconstruction. A bit long-winded in parts, with court transcript like run-down of the horrible crimes of the Klan and other white supremist groups as Reconstruction fell apart, the book overall was really well done. I did take a bit of issue with the focus in the latter part of the book on Native peoples and the conquest of the west as connecting that to Reconstruction. Reconstruction and the guarantees it gave for Freed people were taken from them while Native People were never given those protections in the first place so it bogged the book down when the focus truly should have remained with the Freed People.

This text should be of interest to anyone interested in the racial politics of the US south, as well as those that wish to draw comparison between the age of Reconstruction and our own. The author alters the traditional time period of the age, arguing for a 'Long Reconstruction', an argument I find compelling. The text is also particularly strong in its expansive examination of race and minority populations, including detailed discussion of Indigenous people, Asian Americans, and Women of numerous ethnic and racial backgrounds.

Historian Manisha Sinha is one of the most important academics, lecturers, and public speakers about the history of translantic slavery in the United States as well as its parallels to the current political hellscape. In this book, Sinha analyzes the Reconstruction Era and puts it from 1860, 5 years before the Civil War ended, to 1920, when most scholars agree to Reconstruction ended in the 1880s, although it is important to note that Sinha is speaking on broader things here than the limitations of a particular period.
As she clarifies, in this book, “Reconstruction” refers to southern Reconstruction. She also uses the verb “to reconstruct” as describing “other struggles for citizenship and sovereignty by disparate groups: women, workers, immigrants, and indigenous people.” When she refers to reconstruction of the West and capitalism, she does not capitalize this term and dislikes the generic terms for this period, including ‘postwar’

She also eschews terms that perpetuate “false understandings of Reconstruction,” including ‘carpetbagger,’ ‘scalawag,’ and ‘redemption.’

She also notably uses freedpeople instead of freedmen, because it is gender neutral and includes the women who were in this category. She also prefers “interracial” to “biracial” or “multiracial” and her explanation makes sense.

This text is skewed toward more academic audiences, and indeed, should definitely be added to the syllabi of professors who teach in this subject area. While the stories of the famous figures in the book will be familiar to many, including Harriet Jacobs and Sojourner Truth, other less familiar groups such as the National Equal Rights League by the Syracuse national black convention in 1864 are also profiled with more detail.

Anyone studying the history of abolitionist movements in the United States during this era will also want to pick a copy of Sinha’s book, as well as those who want more information about Lincoln’s role that goes beyond the usual narrative. Also deals with the formation of both iterations of the Klan.

Extremely comprehensive and detailed, the book will also satisfy those looking for more about the economic history of the time.

An important book - if you like the recent PBS documentary on Reconstruction, this will supplement your knowledge. Builds on Foner's canonical work with new research, new depths of insight. Recommended for folks that want to learn about an important era that gets glossed over in high school.