Romanticism Versus Security: Clashes Between a Free Press and National Necessity During the American Civil War

Abstract

The American Civil War was a period of intense political, cultural, and technological upheaval that laid the groundwork for modern U.S. government policy. It came at a time when the declining popularity of the artistic Romanticism movement's concepts of liberty in expression still influenced newspapers reporting on the war. This article aims to explore the war's effect on American journalism of the era and how it clashed with the ideals of romanticism, centered on freedom of the press and its strong connection to the government. Firsthand accounts, government legislation, and later research will follow newspaper publishers’ struggles with the civilian government on the home front and journalists’ encounters with military interference on the frontlines. These experiences will highlight how the theoretical romantic alliance between the press and politics broke down due to mutual interference without resulting in profound policy changes.