National Constitution Center
Supreme Court Spotlight: Dred Scott v. Sandford
Life was precarious for free and enslaved African Americans, as demonstrated by the tragic Dred Scott decision. The Supreme Court case not only denied an enslaved man's petition for freedom, but also claimed that African Americans—free...
Bill of Rights Institute
Dred Scott vs. Stanford
The United States was on the brink of a war within itself when the Dred Scott case came before the Supreme Court. Viewers examine the defining case that served as a ratuionale for slavery leading into the Civil War.
Bill of Rights Institute
Economics of the North and South Before the Civil War
How did economic issues lead to war? Viewers watch an AP review video to examine one of the main causes of the American Civil War, the Tariff of Abominations. They examine the issues concerning the economies of the North and South prior...
Curated Video
The Civil War Animated Battle Map: April 12, 1861 – May 9, 1865
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...
Biography
Abraham Lincoln- Mini Biography
What qualities made Abraham Lincoln a successful president? Invite young historians to learn about the personal and political background of one of the greatest presidents in United States history.
Have Fun With History
Have Fun With History: The Civil War
This presentation takes us from the foundation of our nation through key events and differences which led to the tumultous divide between the North and the South known as the American Civil War.
Crash Course
Crash Course Us History #20: The Civil War, Part I
Part one of two in Crash Course US History on the Civil War by John Green. Video examines the causes of the Civil War along with individual motivations for fighting in the war. Narrated in a humorous, lively style. [12:00]
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1844 1877: Sectional Conflict: Regional Differences
How did regional differences between the North and South related to slavery lead to tensions in the years leading up to the Civil War? Kim compares the economic and ideological differences that drove the sections apart. [8:27]
Other
Causes of the Civil War Part 2
Traces the causes of the Civil War, including the abolitionist movement, debates between the North and the South over slavery, the economic roots of the slave system, political divisions between free and slave states, and the Dred Scott...
Other
Causes of the Civil War Part 1
Traces the earlier causes of the Civil War, including the different economies of the North and the South, the issue of slavery, the migration of freed blacks to the North, slave rebellions, the abolitionist movement, and the Underground...
Crash Course
Crash Course Us History #18: The Election of 1860
In this Crash Course video, John Green teaches you about the election of 1860. The tensions between the North and South were rising, ultimately due to the single issue of slavery. The North wanted to abolish slavery, and the South wanted...