Second Founding: New York City, Reconstruction, and the Making of American Democracy

by David Quigley

At the close of the Civil War, Americans found themselves drawn into a new conflict, one in which the basic shape of the nation's government had to be rethought and new rules for the democratic game had to be established. In this superb new study, David Quigley argues that New York City's politics and politicians lay at the heart of Reconstruction's intense, conflicted drama. In ways that we understand all too well today, New York history became national history. The establishment of a postwar interracial democracy required the tearing down and rebuilding of many basic tenets of American government, yet, as Quigley shows in dramatic detail, the white supremacist traditions of the nation's leading city militated against a genuine revision of America's racial order, for New York politicians placed limits on the possibilities of true Reconstruction at every turn. Still, change did occur and a new America did take shape. Ironically, it was in New York City that new languages and practices for public life were developing which left an indelible mark on progressive national politics. Quigley's signal accomplishment is to show that the innovative work of New York's black activists, Tammany Democrats, bourgeois reformers, suffragettes, liberal publicists, and trade unionists resulted in a radical redefinition of reform in urban America.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2003

About the author

A graduate of Amherst College, Quigley received both his MA and PhD from New York University, where his scholarly focus was on 19th century American history with an emphasis on urban and political history during the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Reviews

[May]

More than any other event in American history, David Quigley begins, Reconstruction "determined just what kind of politics Americans would have" (ix). If the Constitution was the first founding of the United States, it ushered in a leadership deeply skeptical about democracy and a country that had not solved its slavery question. When Reconstruction occurred after the Civil War, "the rules of the democratic game" were decided (ix).

In the course of a decade, Americans debated the terms of democracy -- who would be involved and in what ways -- and, as a result, created the modern age of American politics and the making of American democracy (x). As the title indicates, Quigley anchors his story in New York City, the best place to examine "Reconstruction's impact on the development of democratic politics" (xi). As a local story that can be nationalized, New York City during the Reconstruction era grappled with and set the issues, arguments, and debates that occurred or would occur during federal Reconstruction. In three parts, Quigley follows black New Yorkers, white Democratic politicians, white Republican politicians, and white intellectuals, workers, and activists as they fought to define democracy in a post-Civil War era. Competing visions of Reconstruction, African American manhood suffrage, the necessity of enforcement, liberty, and suffrage restriction polarized the city. As New York City debated these critical issues, the nation did as well, influenced by New York's leaders, politicians, and citizens, both black and white. In the end, what emerged was a definition of democracy that was contentious, hard-fought, and hard-won, contested by many parties, unfulfilled, and interracial (to the dismay of some). Although Reconstruction has been forgotten by history (and the present), it was crucial in creating the American nation and its ideals of citizenship, equality, and democracy.

(This is a bad review of a confusing book that had a broad thesis. Quigley never defines this democracy and leads us through a complex web of figures, debates, and events that finally helped me (somewhat?) understand what he sees. The main point of contention, however, is, like with all books about New York City, New York City's importance. No one can argue its significance as an economic, intellectual, political, and cultural center of America -- but how much of a New York story can be applied to the rest of the nation in this history? How much influence did New York's intellectuals, politicians, and activists actually have? Does this story represent the events in the South?)

[John Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting points but needed a lot more density to back it up. But four stars because who is covering Tilden these days.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting examination of Reconstruction in New York City. While occasionally dull and hard to push through, Quigley's tale is more engaging than most other authors of books on Reconstruction, mostly because of his easy and flowing writing style.