Photos | Videos | Interactives
Photo Galleries (3)
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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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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.
Videos (24)
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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
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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The Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation ProclamationVideo Clip (2:14)
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.
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Massachusetts 54th Regiment
Massachusetts 54th RegimentVideo Clip (2:48)
Video Clip (2:48)
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was one of the first official black units in the U.S. armed forces. Their courageous assault on Fort Wagner played a key role in bringing about an end to slavery.
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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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Blacks in the Military
Blacks in the MilitaryVideo Clip (3:12)
Video Clip (3:12)
Learn how blacks serving in WWII helped forward the Civil Rights Movement.
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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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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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Lincoln's Most Pivotal Speech
Lincoln's Most Pivotal SpeechVideo Clip (3:02)
Video Clip (3:02)
Which of President Lincoln's many eloquent speeches was the most important?
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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.
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History of the KKK
History of the KKKVideo Clip (2:40)
Video Clip (2:40)
Gangland takes a closer look at America's oldest domestic terrorist group, the Ku Klux Klan.
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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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John Brown's Last Speech
John Brown's Last SpeechVideo Clip (2:36)
Video Clip (2:36)
Actor David Strathairn performs abolitionist John Brown's final speech before his execution in 1859. Introduction by Viggo Mortensen.
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The Failure of Reconstruction
The Failure of ReconstructionVideo Clip (2:35)
Video Clip (2:35)
Reconstruction turns the south into a different type of battleground. Constitutional amendments grant freedom and suffrage to African-Americans but equality remains elusive.
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The Meaning of July 4th for the Negro
The Meaning of July 4th for the NegroVideo Clip (3:43)
Video Clip (3:43)
Morgan Freeman performs the words of Fredrick Douglass addressing a white audience about the Fourth of July.
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Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln Issues the Emancipation ProclamationVideo Clip (2:31)
Video Clip (2:31)
The Emancipation Proclamation refocuses the purpose of the Civil War to address the issue of slavery.
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The Gettysburg Address: A New Declaration of Independence
The Gettysburg Address: A New Declaration of IndependenceVideo Clip (1:45)
Video Clip (1:45)
After the carnage at the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln reaffirms his commitment to achieving freedom for all.
Interactives (1)
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Civil War 150
Civil War 150Interactive
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