Heather Cox Richardson did a gajillion-part series on the history of the Republican Party on Facebook Live over the summer. The first five hours cover the Republican Party from the 1850s to the Gilded Age. These are not lectures and they have zero bells and whistles. It is just Richardson chatting with her audience in an informal discussion. She routinely gets more than 100,000 viewers for each of her talks.
Note: I am only posting those installments dealing with the Civil War and Reconstruction years. Got to her facebook page or YouTube channel for the rest of the series.
Part 1 covers the origins of the Republican Party. This includes the breakdown of the Whig Party and the fractures among the Democrats, as well as a sketch of Lincoln’s early life.
Part 2 looks at the rise of Lincoln and the Civil War. Interesting notes on what the party was doing besides waging war.
Part 3 explores the party’s response to Andrew Johnson, including the impeachment.
Part 4 is about the Grant Presidency. Reforms and scandals.
Part 5 covers the “end” of Reconstruction, the disputed Election of 1876, the Rutherford B. Hayes administration, and the “Gilded Age.”
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I like your sessions. I am a distant cousin of William McKinley and also remotely related to a majority of other presidents through my Stewart/Stuart connections as well.