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Lecture: Starving the South

Title:Lecture: Starving the South
Date & Time:Thu Feb 23, 2017 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Location:Lyceum
201 S. Washington St.
Event Details:Napoleon Bonaparte once said that “an army marches on its stomach,” referring to the critical role of food supplies in war. Feeding armies in the field, especially when they are far removed from their base, has always posed logistical problems for commanders even in modern times. Despite the widespread use of railroads during the Civil War, the issue remained. From the first shot fired at Fort Sumter until the end of the war four years later, food played a crucial role in specific battles, military campaigns and civilian life throughout the Civil War. Why did the South—the preeminent agricultural region of the nation in 1860—suffer from hunger during the Civil War? How did the North with its much larger urban population and smaller (proportionally) number of farmers feed its armies and civilians abundantly throughout the war and still export massive agricultural surpluses to Europe? What role did food play in the outcome of the Civil War, and how did American food change as a result of the war?
Andrew F. Smith has taught food history at the New School University in New York City for twenty years. He is the author or editor of thirty-one books, including Starving the South: How the North Won the Civil War (St. Martin’s 2011), and the Oxford Encyclopedia on Food and Drink in America (2013). On February 23, he will discuss Starving the South at The Lyceum, during a lecture/book-signing event.
Links:
Fees:Tickets are $10 per person and may be purchased in advance at The Lyceum or by going to shop.alexandriava.gov; reservations are strongly encouraged, as space is limited.
Audience:Anyone may attend
Tags:Lyceum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town


For event details visit https://apps.alexandriava.gov/Calendar/?15485
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