Why would Robert E. Lee order Pickett's Charge, an action that changed the course of the Civil War? Geographer and historian Anne Knowles uses digital technology to explain what she thinks is the missing piece in trying to understand...

Did Lincoln know that victory for the Union was imminent? According to this video, which discusses the end of the Civil War (including a great anecdote about a historic coincidence between the beginning and end of the war), many...

In 1863 life forever changed for African American slaves when the Emancipation Proclamation was announced. An interesting video clip shows two actors reading excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation and a letter by a slave named Annie...

Take a look at where it all began: Fort Sumter. Individuals learn about the history of Fort Sumter, the location of the first battle of the Civil War. Fort Sumter was also important to the defense of the Confederate city of Charleston....

Though not as well known as other battles of the Civil War, the Battle of Franklin resulted in substantial Union gains and enormous Confederate casualties. Learn more about an important battle of 1864 with an animated map video.

The preservation of Civil War era battlefields is an ongoing argument between cities, corporations, and groups like the Civil War Trust. After watching a brief animated analysis of the Battle of Cedar Creek, a video from the Civil War...

As the Union Army retreated from their defeat at Bull Run, the Confederate Army prepared to attack. A detailed animated map illustrated the troop movements and precision with which the generals from both ends of the battlefield executed...

After the Battle of Fredericksburg, Major General Ambrose Burnside's heavy losses and strategic defeat seemed to spell the end for the Union. See how the battle unfolded with an animated map resource that demonstrates the way General...

Fort Sumter is a lasting emblem of the duration of the Civil War, and the American flag on its pole is a symbol of the Union's hard-fought victory. A short, informative video takes learners through the military strategies of the battle,...

Ulysses S. Grant, having been elevated to general-in-chief to the Armies of the United States, began the 1864 Overland Campaign that brought the Civil War to northern Virginia. High schoolers watch an informative video...

Many consider the 1862 siege at Vicksburg to be the turning point of the American Civil War. Learn more about the necessity of Vicksburg for both the Confederacy and the Union — and the importance of its conquest on July 4, 1862 —...

The poignant words of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address echoed over the dedication of a battlefield to the fallen soldiers, who paid the ultimate price for the victory. High schoolers watch the pivotal moment in an informative...

The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest single day of the Civil War — and ended with an arguably inconclusive result. A detailed video takes viewers through the troop movements and military strategy of the Union and the...

The four years of the Civil War resulted in 620,000 American deaths, which was 2% of the population in 1865 — the equivalent of which would be 6.5 million people in 2016. If you're interested in the Civil War and have 27 minutes to...

What were the advantages the Union had over the Confederacy? What were the advantages the Confederacy had over the Union? Compare the advantages of each side, and discuss who you'd think would win the war based on the information...

A quiet, serene town in Pennsylvania became the setting for an integral battle in the Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg, Lee's second invasion of the North, failed to secure ground for the Confederacy. This video, part two in a series,...

What caused the American Civil War? Who were the major figures during this time? Focusing specifically on slavery and the attack on Fort Sumter, this resource provides a quick overview of some of the conflicts faced at this time.

It's April 3, 1865, and Robert E. Lee's troops are all but surrounded. After four years of fighting, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant sit down together to discuss terms of surrender. This resource, part three of three, glances over the...

Listen to a compilation of music from the 1800s while clips of a recreated civil war are shown. The opposing troops march toward each other, have several battles, and camp out. The video ends with the Union's win.

"A house divided against itself cannot stand," Abraham Lincoln famously said. This video series is aged and the sound cracks occasionally, but it does provide accurate information and visual imagery. This is part one of three.

Did you know the Emancipation Proclamation didn't free all of the slaves? What other facts are you cloudy on regarding the Civil War? Watch this teacher's quick, ten-minute account on the Civil War. While no visual aids, graphs, or maps...

From Lincoln's election to the formation of the Confederacy and Fort Sumter. [10 min, 43 sec]