CIVIL WAR

Meet Opal Lee—the 97-Year-Old Activist Known as the ‘Grandmother of Juneteenth’

Is Juneteenth a federal holiday? Yes—and we have Opal Lee to thank for that.

In his House Divided speech, Lincoln feared the outcome of the Missouri Compromise would be civil war.

“A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand”: Deciphering Lincoln’s Warning About Civil War

In his famous 1858 speech, Abraham Lincoln warned that only civil war would resolve the issue of slavery in the U.S. He wasn’t wrong.

In the winter of 1861, former president Franklin Pierce found himself accused of treason.

The Bizarre Story Behind How Franklin Pierce Was Accused of Treason

An anonymous letter supposedly from a member of a secret society claimed that Franklin Pierce was involved in treasonous activities against the American government—an accusation that infuriated the former president.

Missouri Lawmaker Aims to Bring Back Dueling

The history of political dueling in the U.S. doesn’t end with Hamilton and Burr.

Caricature by James Gillray of Perkins Tractors being administered to a patient.

8 of History’s Greatest Charlatans

One scam was convincing enough to fool George Washington.

12 Fascinating Facts About Juneteenth

Juneteenth has been celebrated since enslaved people in Texas were told about their freedom on June 19, 1865. Here's what you need to know about the holiday.

11 Facts About the Battle of Gettysburg

The three-day Civil War battle was a badly needed win for the North—but like all victories, it came with a price.

13 Surprising Facts About Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was a complicated man in one of the most complicated times in United States history.

8 Battles Fought After the War Ended

From Pontiac's Rebellion to the Battle for Castle Itter, here are eight of the most legendary clashes that were waged after the war was technically over.

Ida B. Wells Is Mattel’s Latest ‘Inspiring Women’ Barbie Doll

Who was Ida B. Wells? A journalist, suffragist, civil rights leader, and now the latest doll in Barbie’s ‘Inspiring Women’ series.

After taking down this Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond, conservators found two hidden surprises.

Another Time Capsule Was Retrieved From Beneath Richmond's Recently Removed Robert E. Lee Statue

The time capsule dates back to 1887 and was thought to contain an image of Abraham Lincoln in his coffin. Conservators found something else instead.

Abraham Lincoln's hair was used to make the eagle's head in this one-of-a-kind sculpture.

This Priceless 'Hairy Eagle' Sculpture Is Made Out of Abraham Lincoln's Hair

At the height of the Civil War, a soldier advocacy group displayed a sculpture made from the presidential follicles of Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary to raise money for troops. Now it's a historical curio.

Robert E. Lee and company in the National Cathedral's stained-glass windows.

The National Cathedral Will Replace Its Confederate-Themed Stained-Glass Windows

Stained-glass windows depicting Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson were removed in 2017. Now, Kerry James Marshall is working on their replacements.

A depiction of the office of the Freedmen's Bureau in Memphis, Tennessee.

Black Americans Can Now Trace Their Family Tree With the Help of Millions of Digitized Freedmen’s Bureau Records

The Freedmen’s Bureau Project records are now digitized and available on Ancestry.com, providing millions of African Americans free access to discover their roots.

The Underground Railroad by Charles T. Webber.

7 Facts About the Underground Railroad

During the 1800s, roughly 100,000 enslaved people sought freedom on the Underground Railroad, which stretched from the American South to Canada.

Why Are Lengthy Bureaucratic Processes Known As Red Tape?

Bureaucratic red tape is a tale as old as time. Or, to be a little more precise, roughly 400 years old.

Clara Barton photographed by Charles R. B. Claflin in 1865.

The Library of Congress Needs Your Help Transcribing Clara Barton's Diaries, Correspondences, and Other Rarely Seen Papers

Who was Clara Barton, really? Transcribing her personal documents can help shed light on a complex question.

A photograph of Harriet Tubman taken by Harvey B. Lindsley in the 1870s.

Archaeologists Have Located the Site of Harriet Tubman’s Family Home in Maryland

The Underground Railroad conductor honed her wilderness skills around the cabin her father built in the 1840s.

James Garfield sometime between 1855 and 1865.

The Library of Congress Needs Your Help Transcribing James Garfield’s Diaries

James Garfield kept detailed diaries from his teen years right up until the day before his assassination.

A painting of Sarah Josepha Hale by James Reid Lambdin, circa 1831.

How Sarah Josepha Hale Became the 'Mother of Thanksgiving'

The history of Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Sarah Josepha Hale, the holiday’s biggest fan.

Absentee Ballot vs. Mail-In Ballot: What’s the Difference?

States are changing their vote-by-mail rules for this year’s general election. Here's what you need to know.

An 1864 illustration by William Waud of Union soldiers voting in Pennsylvania.

The Civil War Beginnings of America’s Absentee Ballots

Abraham Lincoln was up for reelection in 1864, and Republicans thought soldiers’ absentee ballots could help.

The 1851 Christiana Riot put the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 on trial.

The 1851 Christiana Resistance: The Forgotten First Shots of the Civil War

On September 11, 1851, a small farming in Pennsylvania united against slavery and fought what many consider the first battle of the Civil War.

You Can Now Read Thousands of Abraham Lincoln's Personal Letters Online

About half of the 40,000 documents in the Library of Congress's Lincoln Papers Collection are now available to search and read digitally online.