The Grave | Historical Context

The Grave Historical Context

Reconstruction Era in the South

The period following the Civil War in the South was a tumultuous one. Although Abraham Lincoln had favored a more forgiving approach to reuniting the states, following his assassination more radical Republicans took over, eventually managing Southern state governments by military rule. Already defeated in the Civil War, the South was further humiliated by the continued forcible domination of the North. By 1890, just a decade before the setting of "The Grave," the South was ranked last in every category when compared to other regions: lowest in per capita income, lowest in public health, lowest in education. For Southerners who could remember the glory of the South before the Civil War, this was a great blow to their pride.

Women's Movement

In the early twentieth century, the women's movement picked up steam with the push to give women the vote. The suffrage movement had been growing since the mid-1800s, beginning with...
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