#379 The Elections of 1874 w/ Jefferson Cowie (Midterm Elections Series #2)

Most histories mark the 1876 Presidential election as the end of post-Civil War reconstruction, but the end of that era might have already been signaled when Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in the 1874 midterms.

Why was the party of secession able to regain so much power in the federal government less than a decade after the end of the Civil War? And how did the outcome of these elections lay the groundwork for the Compromise of 1877 and the restoration of white supremacy in the south? Jefferson Cowie returns to the show to help Ben and Bob answer these questions and more in a deep dive into the 1874 elections and the crucial role they played in shaping post-Civil War America. (Click here for the side-by-side comparison of the 1872 and 1874 election results discussed in the episode).

To learn more about the violence that took place in Barbour County in these years, pick up a copy of Jefferson Cowie's Pulitzer Prize winning book, Freedom's Dominion: A Saga of White Resistance to Federal Power.

If you'd like to help Ben's fundraising effort to help The Store fight food insecurity in Tennessee, or get tickets to Nashville's Got Talent on October 22, just go to RTNpod.me/thestore.

This is part 2 of our midterm election series, in which we look at some of the most consequential congressional elections in American history. With the midterms of 2026 just around the corner, we hope these episodes will put things in context and convince you that midterm elections are just as, and sometimes more important, than the Presidential elections that only roll around every 4 years. If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to listen to our first episode in the series on 1858 in episode 378.

This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.