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Abraham Lincoln (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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Videos (15)

  • Abraham Lincoln
    Abraham Lincoln

    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.

    Video Clip (3:48)
  • Confederate vs. Union Soldiers
    Confederate vs. Union Soldiers

    Video Clip (2:39)

    Find out what divided the men of the Civil War, and how in many ways they were more alike than different.

    Video Clip (2:39)
  • America and the Civil War
    America and the Civil War

    Video Clip (4:04)

    Discover how the bloodiest war in American history transformed the face of the nation.

    Video Clip (4:04)
  • Civil War's Greatest Myth
    Civil War's Greatest Myth

    Video Clip (2:41)

    What you think you know about the Civil War may not be the whole truth.

    Video Clip (2:41)
  • John Brown
    John Brown

    Video Clip (4:34)

    John Brown's failed attempt to loot the armory at Harper's Ferry sparks the beginning of abolition.

    Video Clip (4:34)
  • Civil War in One Word
    Civil War in One Word

    Video Clip (1:13)

    If you had just one word to describe the Civil War, what would it be?

    Video Clip (1:13)
  • Lincoln's War Machine
    Lincoln's War Machine

    Video Clip (3:01)

    Twenty-four thousand miles of railroad replenishes troops and supplies for the North and delivers disaster to the South.

    Video Clip (3:01)
  • Civil War Tech
    Civil War Tech

    Video Clip (2:17)

    The Civil War saw the rise of major technological advances in warfare.

    Video Clip (2:17)
  • The Path to Civil War
    The Path to Civil War

    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?

    Video Clip (2:25)
  • Frederick Douglass
    Frederick Douglass

    Video Clip (2:25)

    Find out how Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery to become one of the most respected and effective abolitionist leaders.

    Video Clip (2:25)
  • Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
    Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

    Video Clip (3:07)

    Born a slave, Harriett Tubman became a famous "conductor" on the Underground Railroad, leading hundreds of slaves to freedom.

    Video Clip (3:07)
  • John Brown's Raid
    John Brown's Raid

    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.

    Video Clip (1:38)
  • Legacy of the Civil War
    Legacy of the Civil War

    Video Clip (1:22)

    One hundred and fifty years after it began, the Civil War is still an important component of our national character.

    Video Clip (1:22)
  • Civil War Turning Point
    Civil War Turning Point

    Video Clip (3:08)

    Find out what event turned the tide of the Civil War.

    Video Clip (3:08)
  • Impact of the Civil War
    Impact of the Civil War

    Video Clip (3:27)

    The Civil War was a long and gruesome conflict that claimed more than 620,000 lives and had lasting effects on military and civilian survivors.

    Video Clip (3:27)

Photo Galleries (5)

  • Civil War: Fort Sumter
    Civil War: Fort Sumter

    9 Photos

    Explore Fort Sumter, South Carolina, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.

    (9 Photos)
  • Faces of the Civil War
    Faces of the Civil War

    28 Photos

    The Library of Congress recently acquired a rare collection of nearly 700 Civil War-era ambrotype and tintype photographs, donated by the Liljenquist family.

    (28 Photos)
  • Civil War: Confederate Leaders
    Civil War: Confederate Leaders

    13 Photos

    View images of Confederate leaders from the Civil War, like Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson, and learn more about the roles they played protecting the southern states.

    (13 Photos)
  • Civil War: Union Military Leaders
    Civil War: Union Military Leaders

    13 Photos

    View images of Union leaders from the Civil War, like Abraham Linoln and Ulysses S. Grant, and learn more about the roles they played in this bloody engagment.

    (13 Photos)
  • Civil War: Artifacts
    Civil War: Artifacts

    9 Photos

    Explore Civil War artifacts, from medical kits and personal hygiene items, to carbines and currency.

    (9 Photos)

Interactives (1)

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Read More about Fort Sumter

An island fortification in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, Fort Sumter was the site of the first shots of the Civil War.

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