Library of Congress

Learn About the Civil War in One Day

Do you need an introduction to the Civil War on a day off?

Learn about the Civil War in one day.

Here's how to get started:

  1. Gain a quick overview of the Civil War:
    1. Browse the Civil War Timeline to help put the war’s events into context and relationships
    2. Access a list of the twelve most popular and influential documents of the Civil War.
    3. Read Civil War Facts to learn basic facts, dates, and information about the war while clarifying common misconceptions.
    4. Watch the Entire Civil War Animated Map. This 30-minute video gives you’re the Civil War events in chronological order.
  2. Learn about the Trigger Events of the Civil War, an overview and timeline of the major events that triggered the war.
  3. Watch videos about important and influential battles throughout the war, such as Shiloh and Gettysburg.
  4. Learn about the soldiers that fought in the war with videos like the Life of a Soldier In4.
  5. Watch videos about warfare in both the Eastern and the Western fronts.
  6. Gain an understanding of what happened after the war through The Stalking of John Wilkes Booth article.
  7. Understand the implications of the war with Monuments In4 and Remembering the War In4.

Total time: 367 minutes (6.2 hours)

Nothing to do with the rest of your weekend? Click here to continue on your Civil War learning path.