How did the Civil War change the North?

📍 Location: Formation Brewing

📚 Talk: How did the Civil War change the North?

A bloody war costing 750,000 lives freed four million enslaved Americans. That part we know. But how did the conflict reshape the lives of ordinary Northerners far from the battlefields? This discussion explores the dramatic transformations the war set loose in the North's economy—new systems of banking, money, and work—and what those seismic changes meant for the millions of everyday Americans living outside the South. See how a war fought over the future of slavery also quietly remade the world.

🎤 Speaker: Calvin Schermerhorn is a professor of history at Arizona State University and a graduate of the University of Virginia and Harvard Divinity School. He has taught courses on the Civil War for fifteen years and won ASU's two top teaching awards.

The night is designed as a three-part talk experience, with guided table discussions between each chapter, so you can engage with the ideas and connect with the people around you.

Location: Formation Brewing (Phoenix)

Formation Brewing is a 10,000-square-foot brewpub on Roosevelt Row in the heart of downtown Phoenix, built around a sunken central seating area and a 19-tank brewhouse in full view of guests. Head brewer Sam Townsend, a two-time Great American Beer Festival gold medalist, crafts Arizona-inspired beers rooted in Southwest flavors, paired with a kitchen known for shareables and Detroit-style pizzas.

🚪 Doors open at 6:30 pm, presentation starts promptly at 7:00pm

🪑 Communal group tables designed for conversation. Perfect for coming solo or with friends.

♿ Accessibility: This event is held on Formation Brewing's second floor, which is not wheelchair accessible. If you have accessibility questions, please reach out to us before purchasing.

🍺 Food and Drinks: Beer, wine, cocktails, and soda, plus food, will be available for purchase separately at the venue.

🎥 This event may be photographed and recorded for marketing purposes. If you prefer not to appear in photos, just let us know at check-in.

🎟 Refunds are available until October 22nd. Tickets are also transferable. If you can't attend, you're welcome to give or resell your ticket to someone else.