“So, here it’s really martial law, almost, which is holding, which is getting, making sure that Maryland stays in the Union. And of course, if Maryland stays in the Union, there’s not much chance of Delaware leaving, because Delaware is just a tiny, little place stuck over in the corner.”
“Is anybody here from Delaware?”
[Silence from class. No one is claiming Delaware.]
“I don’t mean to say anything bad about Delaware.”
[Silence solidifies. Prof. Foner surveys his classroom, and seemingly finding them safely non-Delaware friendly, decides that actually…]
“I don’t really like Delaware much because…”
“No, no, nothing against them but, you know, first of all, what kind of state has a blue hen as a motto, as a — it’s weird — as a symbol?”
“But no, if you drive to Washington, on Route 95, you pass through Delaware for about ten minutes. And they charge you an arm and a leg for the privilege of driving for ten minutes through their state. That’s how they balance their state budget –“
“– so no one outside of… anyway. They couldn’t secede.”
NOTE: The foremost expert on Civil War and Reconstruction, Lincoln, and slavery, not to mention one of the most decent human beings alive, has made his storied 3-semester Columbia University series available to everyone. Free. That’s amazing. If you want a serious spine of knowledge from a fount of it, you don’t have to pay for a Master Class. Foner has made it free.
serene 