Navigate the perils of Reconstruction from the grassroots of the oddest city in the United States

At the end of the Civil War, the Thirteenth Amendment ended slavery, but this was not the end of conflict. Vindictive former Confederates returned to power and sought to construct a new system of forced, race-based labor. The US Congress responded with military occupation and the Fourteenth Amendment.

Louisiana’s wealth, diverse population, and lengthy experience with military occupation ensure that it will be one of the chief arenas of the struggles to reconstruct the union and rebuild southern society. As the largest city in the South, New Orleans was home to thousands of recently-enslaved Freedpeople as well as French-speaking Black Creoles, white unionists, German immigrants, and Yankee carpetbaggers. This game examines the ways in which these groups interacted with one another and contended with the myriad challenges of the Reconstruction era. Endemic corruption, widespread illiteracy, economic turmoil, and natural disaster complicated their efforts, as did violently racist former Confederates determined to restore their dominion.

This game encourages players to contemplate the issues of political participation, suffrage, and civil rights at a local level. Players must consider the ways in which their commitment to education, religion, politics, and the use of force may alter their lives and those of others. To answer these questions, players must contend against one another, but they must also figure out how to work together against the white supremacist threat.

This is a Level 3 game that is still under development but has been approved by the Reacting Editorial Board (REB) for general use. A detailed explanation of the editorial process and game levels can be found on our REB Page.