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The Civil War and Reconstruction was a pivotal era in American history.

When a war was fought to save the Union and to free the slaves,

and when the work to rebuild the nation after that war was over

turned into a struggle to guarantee liberty and justice for all Americans. I'm

I'm Tracey and I'm rich and we want to invite you to join us as we take an in-depth look at this

pivotal era in American history.

Look for the Civil War and Reconstruction,

wherever you find your podcasts.

One of history's stranger meetings occurred in 1921

right around Christmas, a meeting in the White House between two political

polar opposites, Republican President Warren G. Harding and Socialist Leader Eugene Debs.

Warren Harding, a wealthy newspaper publisher and senator,

no doubt, was in the White House at the behest of many of the nation's largest corporations.

Debs on the other hand was a socialist candidate, organizing union laborers and agitating business interests, the same interests that supported Harding.

The reasons behind the meeting between these two individuals are rooted in the founding

of the country and the wishes and predictions of many of the

members of the Constitutional Convention.

Warren Harding was about to issue a pardon to Debs, and he attached to that part in a simple condition. He'd like to see

Debs before he was released from prison. After all he told newspaper

reporters and Harding was always one to give a good quote to the newspaper

reporters.

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