Photos | Videos | Interactives
Photo Galleries (5)
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Slave Life
Slave Life(9 Photos)
9 Photos
View pictures of North American slave life during the 18th and 19th centuries, featuring pictures of slaves themselves and the environments in which they worked and lived.
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The Battle Over Slavery
The Battle Over Slavery(12 Photos)
12 Photos
Explore images of abolitionists, the Underground Railroad and much more as you learn about the battle over slavery in the United States.
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The Slave Trade
The Slave Trade(10 Photos)
10 Photos
Explore images of the Atlantic and African Slave Trades, from holding cells in Africa to auction houses in Atlanta.
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Industrial Inventions
Industrial Inventions(12 Photos)
12 Photos
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Inventions: Inventors
Inventions: Inventors(8 Photos)
8 Photos
Videos (17)
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Civil War's Greatest Myth
Civil War's Greatest MythVideo Clip (2:41)
Video Clip (2:41)
What you think you know about the Civil War may not be the whole truth.
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Origins of Slavery in America
Origins of Slavery in AmericaVideo Clip (3:01)
Video Clip (3:01)
In 1619, the Dutch introduced the first captured Africans to America, planting the seeds of a slavery system that evolved into a nightmare of abuse and cuelty that would ultimately divide the nation.
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America Divided
America DividedVideo Clip (3:54)
Video Clip (3:54)
America is at the brink of a Civil War as cotton spreads west and threatens to expand slavery into new territories.
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Legacy of the Civil War
Legacy of the Civil WarVideo Clip (1:22)
Video Clip (1:22)
One hundred and fifty years after it began, the Civil War is still an important component of our national character.
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Frederick Douglass
Frederick DouglassVideo Clip (2:25)
Video Clip (2:25)
Find out how Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery to become one of the most respected and effective abolitionist leaders.
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America and the Civil War
America and the Civil WarVideo Clip (4:04)
Video Clip (4:04)
Discover how the bloodiest war in American history transformed the face of the nation.
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Abraham Lincoln
Abraham LincolnVideo Clip (3:48)
Video Clip (3:48)
Today he is known as one of the greatest American presidents, but at the time of his election no one would have predicted Lincoln's success.
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Civil War in One Word
Civil War in One WordVideo Clip (1:13)
Video Clip (1:13)
If you had just one word to describe the Civil War, what would it be?
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Abraham Lincoln's House Divided Speech
Abraham Lincoln's House Divided SpeechVideo Clip (2:31)
Video Clip (2:31)
Abraham Lincoln's 1858 "House Divided" speech catapults him into the national consciousness with its bold moral assessment of the future of American slavery.
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Civil War Turning Point
Civil War Turning PointVideo Clip (3:08)
Video Clip (3:08)
Find out what event turned the tide of the Civil War.
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Civil War Tech
Civil War TechVideo Clip (2:17)
Video Clip (2:17)
The Civil War saw the rise of major technological advances in warfare.
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Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Harriet Tubman and the Underground RailroadVideo Clip (3:07)
Video Clip (3:07)
Born a slave, Harriett Tubman became a famous "conductor" on the Underground Railroad, leading hundreds of slaves to freedom.
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The Path to Civil War
The Path to Civil WarVideo Clip (2:25)
Video Clip (2:25)
The election of Abraham Lincoln was a tipping point on the path to Civil War. In the wake of Southern secession, would the new president defend the U.S. forts in rebel territory?
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John Brown
John BrownVideo Clip (4:34)
Video Clip (4:34)
John Brown's failed attempt to loot the armory at Harper's Ferry sparks the beginning of abolition.
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Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner's RebellionVideo Clip (3:35)
Video Clip (3:35)
In August 1831, one of America's largest slave uprisings strikes fear in the South and prompts some to call for an end to the institution of slavery.
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The Abolitionist Movement
The Abolitionist MovementVideo Clip (3:26)
Video Clip (3:26)
In the decades before the Civil War, anti-slavery sentiment sparked an abolitionist movement that employed risky and radical tactics to bring an end to slavery.
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John Brown's Raid
John Brown's RaidVideo Clip (1:38)
Video Clip (1:38)
Although poorly planned and executed, John Brown's raid helped lead the nation into Civil War and made him one of the most controversial men of his day.
Interactives (1)
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Civil War 150
Civil War 150Interactive
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