Citizenship
Before the Civil War, the definition of citizenship was left largely to the states, where its meaning might differ as to race, gender, class, and religion. The 14th Amendment (ratified in 1868) declared anyone born in the United States to be a citizen of the nation, but many states long denied the benefits of full citizenship, in particular to African Americans. Using primary source materials, this seminar will explore how the meaning of citizenship has changed over the generations, from the American Revolution to the recent past. Core issues to be examined are voting, education, transportation, and marriage.
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Apply online for the Montpelier Seminars and take our free online course on the Constitution.
Citizenship Sample Agenda
View a sample agenda from past programs. Though the actual schedule for future seminars may differ, the essential components of the program will remain the same.
Citizenship Seminar Readings
All reading materials are provided in advance of the Seminar; however, participants are not expected to complete all of the readings beforehand. A few key selections should be read in advance, but most of the texts will take on a greater significance when they are read and discussed as a group. A sample reading list will be available online soon.
Seminar Scholar
Peter Wallenstein, Ph.D., is a professor of history at Virginia Tech, where he has received numerous awards for his teaching and his research. Dr. Wallenstein previously taught in New York, Canada, Korea, and Japan.
Dr. Wallenstein has also published nine books, mostly on the history of the South, from Civil War to civil rights, including Cradle of America: Four Centuries of Virginia History.
