This book places major literary works within the context of the topics that engaged a great number of American writers in the period from the end of the Civil War to the beginning of the Great Depression * Topics include Civil War memory, the virtual re-enslavement of African-Americans after Reconstruction, and radical social movements * Draws on a range of documents from magazine and newspaper accounts to government reports and important non-fiction * Presents a contemporary history as writers might have understood it as they were writing, not as historians have interpreted it. * Designed to be compatible with the major anthologies of literature from the period * Equips students and general readers with the necessary historical context needed to understand the writings from this period and provides original and useful readings that demonstrate how context contributes to meaning * Includes a historical timeline, featuring key literary works, American presidents, and historical events