HomeShowsThis Day In History
Stream HISTORY
HomeShowsThis Day In HistoryStream HISTORY
  1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Civil War
  4. Stories

Civil War ‑ Stories

The Civil War was America's bloodiest and most divisive conflict, pitting the Union Army against the Confederate States of America. The war resulted in the deaths of more than 620,000 people, with millions more injured and the South left in ruins.

John Jordan Crittenden, 1857. Artist George Peter Alexander Healy.

The 1860 Compromise That Would Have Preserved Slavery in the US Constitution

The author of Crittenden Compromise argued his six amendments presented a good deal. But then‑President‑elect Lincoln drew a firm line.

Read more
An African American soldier in uniform with his wife and two daughters, circa 1864. This image was found in Cecil County, Maryland, making it likely that this soldier belonged to one of the seven U.S.C.T. regiments raised in Maryland.

How Black Women Fought for Civil War Pensions and Benefits

In a time when military pensions were a large part of the federal budget, Black women faced unique challenges in securing compensation.

Read more
A nurse prepares to spoon-feed soldiers in this photograph taken by Jim Enos inside the Union hospital at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, circa 1861.

How the US Civil War Inspired Women to Enter Nursing

As America’s brutal war inflicted high casualties and placed a strain on military medical care, women on both sides of the conflict answered the call.

Read more
How Photos from the Bloody Battle of Antietam Revealed the American Civil War’s Horrors

How Photos from the Battle of Antietam Revealed the American Civil War’s Horrors

Images of the bloodiest battle in U.S. history shocked the public and revealed the war’s gruesome reality.

Read more
A Timeline of U.S. Anti-War Protests

A Timeline of U.S. Anti‑War Movements

Anti‑war movements date back to the birth of the United States.

Read more
How Laws First Passed in Jim Crow Era Suppressed the African American Vote

How Jim Crow‑Era Laws Suppressed the African American Vote for Generations

In the wake of the passage of the 15th Amendment and Reconstruction, several southern states enacted laws that restricted Black Americans’ access to voting.

Read more
7 Critical Civil War Battles

7 Major Civil War Battles

These battles were among the most pivotal in America’s bloodiest conflict.

Read more
Why Frederick Douglass Passionately Recruited Black Soldiers During Civil War

Why Frederick Douglass Wanted Black Men to Fight in the Civil War

He believed that, as soldiers, men of color could gain self‑respect, self‑defense skills and an undeniable justification for the rights of citizenship.

Read more
Reconstruction: A Timeline of America's First Attempt at Tackling Slavery's Legacy. Freedman's Bureau

Reconstruction: A Timeline of the Post‑Civil War Era

For a 14‑year period, the U.S. government took steps to try and integrate the nation’s newly freed Black population into society.

Read more
A daguerreotype of former slave Caesar taken in 1851 in Bethlehem, New York

The Atlantic Slave Trade Continued Illegally in America Until the Civil War

‘Cargo’ was delivered to the southern states and the West Indies, but much of the shipping originated in New York City—in the abolitionist North.

Read more
How the Civil War Influenced Music in the United States

How the US Civil War Influenced Music

For soldiers on both sides, music was a vital source of inspiration and comfort.

Read more
The Confederate Flag: A Timeline of Its Creation and Legacy

The Confederate Flag: A Timeline of Its Creation and Legacy

The most recognizable symbol of the Confederacy has a controversial past—and present.

Read more
A+E Global Media Logo
  • HISTORY Education
  • HISTORY Vault®
  • HISTORY Apps
  • HISTORY2™
  • HISTORY en Español®
  • Military HISTORY®
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Share Your Opinions
  • FAQ / Contact Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Employment Opportunities
  • A+E Factual Studios™
  • Accessibility Support
  • A+E Studios®
  • TV Parental Guidelines
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright Policy
  • Cookie Notice
  • Ad Choices
© 2025, A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.