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The Civil War 150 is an immersive online experience, featuring infographics, historian picks and topical information, that highlights the 150 people, places, events and technology that defined America's greatest conflict. The interactive commemorates the Civil War's 150th Anniversary, and utilizes six thematic infographics to create an even more engaging "who knew?" experience:
Five Deadliest Battles – Nearly a quarter of a million men were killed or wounded during the five bloodiest clashes of the Civil War. Find out what happened at Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania Court House and the Wilderness.
Who They Were – Some wore blue and some wore gray, but the 3 million soldiers who fought in the Civil War had more in common than you might expect.
West Point Warriors – Almost 900 West Point alums served in the Civil War—in fact, they faced off against each other in 55 of the war's 60 major battles.
Paying for the War – Costing $146 billion in today's money, the Civil War saw rampant inflation—9000% in the South by the end of the war—and the first U.S. income tax.
Weapons of War – The Napoleon field gun, the minie ball, the Spencer repeating rifle, the telegraph and the railroad all helped to turn the tide of battle and changed the face of warfare forever.
How They Died – One in four soldiers—620,000 people—died as a result of the Civil War. That's 2 percent of the population—6.14 million people in today's terms.

Interactives (2)

Videos (17)

  • 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)
  • 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)
  • America Divided
    America Divided

    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.

    Video Clip (3:54)
  • Origins of Slavery in America
    Origins of Slavery in America

    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.

    Video Clip (3:01)
  • Abraham Lincoln's House Divided Speech
    Abraham Lincoln's House Divided Speech

    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.

    Video Clip (2:31)
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • 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 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)
  • 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)
  • The Abolitionist Movement
    The Abolitionist Movement

    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.

    Video Clip (3:26)
  • The Emancipation Proclamation
    The Emancipation Proclamation

    Video Clip (2:14)

    Issued after the Union victory at Antietam, the Emancipation Proclamation had both moral and strategic implications for the ongoing Civil War.

    Video Clip (2:14)
  • 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)
  • 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)
  • The Gettysburg Address: A New Declaration of Independence
    The Gettysburg Address: A New Declaration of Independence

    Video Clip (1:45)

    After the carnage at the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln reaffirms his commitment to achieving freedom for all.

    Video Clip (1:45)
  • After the Emancipation
    After the Emancipation

    Video Clip (3:30)

    Four million slaves were formally freed when the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863, but with the Civil War still raging, their future was far from certain.

    Video Clip (3:30)

Photo Galleries (3)

  • The Battle Over Slavery
    The Battle Over Slavery

    12 Photos

    Explore images of abolitionists, the Underground Railroad and much more as you learn about the battle over slavery in the United States.

    (12 Photos)
  • Kansas
    Kansas

    6 Photos

    View pictures from the state of Kansas on History. See images of famous locations that represent the state.

    (6 Photos)
  • Nebraska
    Nebraska

    9 Photos

    History.com's state gallery for Nebraska. Learn more about the state symbols and famous landmarks.

    (9 Photos)
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Read More about Kansas-Nebraska Act

This 1854 bill organizing the western territories led to violent conflict and heightened tensions in the years before the Civil War.

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