"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.

The American Civil War tore the country in two. What made tension grow between the North and the South? How did the war finally begin? What artillery was used? Answer some of these basic questions using this resource. Consider choosing a...

Looks at the Battle of Fort Sumter, which was the trigger that began the American Civil War. Aired 04/03/2011. [2:41]

Explains how the Civil War began when Fort Sumter was attacked on April 12, 1861. [1:00]

Covers the period right after the election of Abraham Lincoln in November 1860 but before he is inaugurated in March. During that time, the Southern states formed the Confederacy and seceded in an effort to preserve the system of...

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