What important happened in this country in 1877?

[Alpo]

I'm reading an online story. The protagonist is going to college. He's telling someone what classes he is taking.

 

He is taking American History to 1877. Next semester he will be taking American History from 1877 to now.

 

It makes sense to break up the subject over two classes. But I just wondered why they chose 1877. American history runs from about 1500 on. So if you made the first section of it to 1877, that's 380 years. And then the second section from 1877 to now is 130. Seems sort of a weird way to break up the subject.

 

I suppose they could be considering American history started at 1776 when we announced that we were no longer British (so to 1877 would be the first 100 years), but that seems like a really dumb way to teach the subject.

 

I can see them breaking the subject in two at 1860, so the second half starts with the Second American Revolution. Or breaking it at 1865, with the first half stopping at the Second American Revolution. I can see them stopping at 1850, because it's the middle of a century, or 1800 because it's the beginning of a century.

 

But 1877 just seemed like a strange time, unless something really important happened that year, that I don't know about.

[Rip Snorter]

The history of the United States of America began July 4, 1776.

[DocWard]

The recognized end of Reconstruction after the Civil War.

[DocWard]

23 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

The history of the United States of America began July 4, 1776.

If a history course were to begin there, without study or inclusion of events leading up to it, it would be woefully lacking. The Declaration of Independence itself is a list of historical grievances.

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485]

I'd say nothing important, great place to stop, end of civil war era but before the more modern era.

[Cypress Sun]

Well, quite a bit...

 

My Great, Great Grandfather was 11.

My Great, Great Grandmother was 6.

 

Things were real tough in central Florida then...as if they were ever easy! Most of the males had been killed during the War, an entire generation. Out of 10 brothers, two survived the War, all fought for the Confederacy. Times were tough all over the South and Florida was no different. The family chain was broken and many farms went unattended due to it. The family farm survived until the mid 1960's when my Great Grandfather passed.

 

My Great Grandfather was 4 years off in the distance.

My Great Grandmother was 17 years off in the distance.

 

The term "Reconstruction" (as used then) was presumptive and ambiguous to say the least. All depends upon where ones residence was I guess.

 

I knew both of my Great Grandparents. I just wish that I could hear the tales that they told over again, I can't...it's all committed to memory and a few pictures now.

 

Thanks for asking.

[Rip Snorter]

4 minutes ago, DocWard said:

If a history course were to begin there, without study or inclusion of events leading up to it, it would be woefully lacking. The Declaration of Independence itself is a list of historical grievances.

True, but a nation is only responsible for sins after it was legally established. The left has a whole program blackening the name of our country with the sins of the English colonies.

[Caladisi kid]

1877 is also the year after the US Centennial and the Battle of Little Big Horn. 

1876 is 100 year mark and the year of the battle.  Just a guess that it would mark the first 100 and the start of the next century.

[DocWard]

8 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

True, but a nation is only responsible for sins after it was legally established. The left has a whole program blackening the name of our country with the sins of the English colonies.

Thanks for clarifying your point. Those who desire to blacken our country’s name won’t let a date deter them. It is more important to understand the history and the circumstances in order to combat them.

[DocWard]

4 minutes ago, Caladisi kid said:

1877 is also the year after the US Centennial and the Battle of Little Big Horn. 

Double check those dates.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

I think 1877 is also Tex's (SASS #4) birthday.

[Alpo]

2 hours ago, Rip Snorter said:

The history of the United States of America began July 4, 1776.

So in your hypothetical American history class, which would not start until July 4th 1776, we would not have the shot heard around the world. We would not have Paul Revere's Ride (both in 1775). We would not have the Boston massacre (1770). We would not have the Boston tea party (1773). No mention of the pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock (1620), or of Jamestown and Pocahontas saving John Smith (1607).

 

Seems like a whole lot of American History would get left out of your American History class.

[Subdeacon Joe]

2 hours ago, DocWard said:

The recognized end of Reconstruction after the Civil War.

 

Compromise of 1877

 

The Compromise of 1877, also known as the Wormley Agreement or the Bargain of 1877, was an unwritten deal, informally arranged among members of the United States Congress, to settle the intensely disputed 1876 presidential election between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden. The Democrats agreed to the election of Hayes and in turn he withdrew the Army from the South, leaving the Democrats in control there. The Compromise itself secured Hayes's authority as a political fact,[1] and the subsequent withdrawal of the last federal troops from the Southern United States effectively ended the Reconstruction Era and forfeited the Republican claims to the state governments in South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana.

 

 

[Sawhorse Kid]

We got the beautiful lines of the model 1877 Colt revolver.

[DocWard]

1 hour ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Compromise of 1877

 

The Compromise of 1877, also known as the Wormley Agreement or the Bargain of 1877, was an unwritten deal, informally arranged among members of the United States Congress, to settle the intensely disputed 1876 presidential election between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden. The Democrats agreed to the election of Hayes and in turn he withdrew the Army from the South, leaving the Democrats in control there. The Compromise itself secured Hayes's authority as a political fact,[1] and the subsequent withdrawal of the last federal troops from the Southern United States effectively ended the Reconstruction Era and forfeited the Republican claims to the state governments in South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana.

 

 

I knew that, but using my phone during a lull in training caused me to opt for brevity, for once.