William Tyler
Towards Conflict and Civil War
Summary
In 1861, just 85 years after its founding, the United States plunged into Civil War. This lecture examines the events that led the young nation to war.
William Tyler
William Tyler has spent his entire professional life in adult education, beginning at Kingsgate College in 1969. He has lectured widely for many public bodies, including the University of Cambridge and the WEA, in addition to speaking to many clubs and societies. In 2009, William was awarded the MBE for services to adult education, and he has previously been a scholar in residence at the London Jewish Cultural Centre.
Well, yes, the different backgrounds, I’ve mentioned. Now, you mention religion. Now, I’ve been asked by Lockdown to give an extra lecture on this coming Sunday, under the heading, America: State Religion, question mark. And I’m going to say a lot more about religion and religion in the Civil War on this Sunday talk. But you are right, it is because of the separate states and because of this view from 17th century England that everybody, white men, are entitled for their opinion, and all this breaking away, and we know the story of how Rhode Island broke away, and I’ll come back to all of that on Sunday, but you are right, the whole problem lies with the original immigrants from England into the United States.
Well, A, he wasn’t president, as Joan says. And B, you’re asking him to have the foresight that nobody else had. Yes, if he’d known what was coming, yes, but nobody knew what was coming. But I will talk about the election of 1860, which people have mentioned. I’ll start off with the 1860 election next, let me make a note of that, next week. And that will help maybe clear some doubts and questions.