Newberry Library presents primary source materials from which students learn about the arguments made for abolition before the Civil War, how the appeals against slavery were framed, and what freedom would mean for the South and the...

North Carolina is rich in Civil War history. The Department of Cultural Resources has compiled this digital library of primary source documents to and from soldiers in honor of the sesquicentennial of the war.

An essay that looks at other, more complex reasons for the outbreak of the Civil War, beyond the traditionally accepted ones related to the Northern industrial economy versus the Southern agricultural one.

A wonderful, interactive site covering many aspects of the Civil War. See photographs, primary sources, and find interesting tidbits about the war. Included are links to lesson plans, teacher guides, resources, activities, and tools.

This website was created by faculty, students, and staff to publicly present information about Columbia's historical connections to the institution of slavery. This article centers on Columbia University during the Civil War. Not all...

Lesson explores the causes of the Civil War and the basic disagreements between North and South through the use of primary source documents, photographs, and census information. Includes two detailed student activities and resources for...

Describes the events leading up to the start of the American Civil War. Looks at clashes between pro- and anti-slavery groups, the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the fight over California, the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act,...

The years leading up to, during, and following the Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877) are most often remembered for the tension between North and South, the question of slavery, President Lincoln, and social and political changes...

Abraham Lincoln did not have universal backing in the conduct of the Civil War. Read about the opposition, mainly from the Democrats, who opposed emancipation of the slaves and waging a war to reunited the country.

Get an overview of slavery in the South, but also see physical evidence in photographs and historical narratives from slaves of the time.

This website was created by faculty, students, and staff to publicly present information about Columbia's historical connections to the institution of slavery. This article focuses on President Charles King who became one of the city's...

This website was created by faculty, students, and staff to publicly present information about Columbia's historical connections to the institution of slavery. This article looks at the different approaches among Columbians to the...

A comprehensive look at the economy of the South and the changes brought by the cotton gin. Read through five pages that discuss the economy, the tradition of the plantation, and the sectionalism that arises in this time period.

Outlines the political events prior to the Civil War as the United States expanded its territories to include new states and conflicts arose over the issue of slavery.

When the war began, many African Americans - North and South - volunteered to serve as soldiers. The vast majority were former slaves who sought to strike at slavery and improve their position in society. Desperate to avert defeat, the...

Biographical profile of Frederick Douglass is shared on this site. Links provide related lesson plans, connected texts, and content about other abolitionists.

Discusses what life was like for African Americans who were freed from slavery after the Civil War. Includes questions for students.

A biography of the Grimke sisters, women who were before their time in so many ways and who fought for equality of the sexes.

Commemorating Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday, this exhibition provides several documents and photographs remembering the President's life. Resources cover his political career, slavery, the civil war and his assassination.

The five lessons in this unit are designed to help students develop a foundation on which to understand the basic disagreements between North and South through the investigation of primary source documents, photographs, and census...

From the Library of Congress, this resource documents the course of post-Civil War, post-slavery life for black Americans. Topics include education, constitutional amendments, voting rights and the many challenges African Americans faced...

Image of handwritten copy of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, accompanied by an explanation of the speech's purpose, impact, and role in American history.

A good look at the views of the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania just prior to and during the Civil War. Read about Democratic president from Pennsylvania, James Buchanan, and his views about the importance of slavery in the national...

Provides a discussion of what life was like for African Americans after slavery ended, focusing on the Freedman's Bureau, Freedman schools, and the Ku Klux Klan.