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The Civil War

1990

Seasons & Episodes

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EP1 The Cause: 1861 Sep 23, 1990

Beginning with a searing indictment of slavery, this first episode dramatically evokes the causes of the war, from the Cotton Kingdom of the South to the northern abolitionists who opposed it. Here are the burning questions of Union and States' rights, John Brown at Harper's Ferry, the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, the firing on Fort Sumter and the jubilant rush to arms on both sides. Along the way the series' major figures are introduced: Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and a host of lesser-known but equally vivid characters. The episode comes to a climax with the disastrous Union defeat at Manassas, Virginia, where both sides now learn it is to be a very long war.

EP2 A Very Bloody Affair: 1862 Sep 24, 1990

1862 saw the birth of modern warfare and the transformation of Lincoln's war to preserve the Union into a war to emancipate the slaves. Episode Two begins with the political infighting that threatened to swamp Lincoln's administration and then follows Union General George McClellan's ill-fated campaign on the Virginia Peninsula, where his huge army meets a smaller but infinitely more resourceful Confederate force. During this episode we witness the battle of ironclad ships, partake of camp life, and watch slavery begin to crumble. We meet Ulysses S. Grant, whose exploits come to a bloody climax at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee. The episode ends with rumors of Europe's readiness to recognize the Confederacy.

EP3 Forever Free: 1862 Sep 24, 1990

This episode charts the dramatic events that led to Lincoln's decision to set the slaves free. Convinced by July 1862 that emancipation was now morally and militarily crucial to the future of the Union, Lincoln must wait for a victory to issue his proclamation. But as the year wears on there are no Union victories to be had, thanks to the brilliance of Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. The episode comes to a climax in September 1862 with Lee's invasion of Maryland. On the banks of Antietam Creek, the bloodiest day of the war takes place, followed shortly by the brightest: the emancipation of the slaves.

EP4 Simply Murder: 1863 Sep 25, 1990

The nightmarish Union disaster at Fredericksburg comes to two climaxes that spring: at Chancellorsville in May, where Lee wins his most brilliant victory but loses Stonewall Jackson; and at Vicksburg, where Grant's attempts to take the city by siege are stopped. During the episode we learn of fierce Northern opposition to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, the miseries of regimental life and the increasing desperation of the Confederate homefront. As the episode ends, Lee decides to invade the North again to draw Grant's forces away from Vicksburg.

EP5 The Universe of Battle: 1863 Sep 25, 1990

This episode opens with a dramatic account of the turning point of war: the Battle of Gettysburg, the greatest ever fought in the Western Hemisphere. For three days 150,000 men will fight to the death in the Pennsylvania countryside, culminating in Pickett's legendary charge. This extended episode then goes on to chronicle the fall of Vicksburg, the New York draft riots, the first use of black troops, and the western battles at Chickamauga, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee. The episode closes with the dedication of a new Union cemetery at Gettysburg in November, where Abraham Lincoln struggles to put into words what is happening to his people.

EP6 Valley of the Shadow of Death: 1864 Sep 26, 1990

Episode six begins with a biographical comparison of Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee and then chronicles the extraordinary series of battles that pitted the two generals against each other from the wilderness to Petersburg in Virginia. In 30 days, the two armies lose more men than both sides have lost in three years of war. With Grant and Lee finally deadlocked at Petersburg, we visit the ghastly hospitals north and south and follow General Sherman's Atlanta campaign through the mountains of north Georgia. As the horrendous casualty lists increase, Lincoln's chances for re-election begin to dim, and with them the possibility of Union victory.

EP7 Most Hallowed Ground: 1864 Sep 26, 1990

The episode begins with the presidential election of 1864 that sets Abraham Lincoln against his old commanding general, George McClellan. The stakes are nothing less than the survival of the Union itself: with Grant and Sherman stalled at Petersburg and Atlanta, opinion in the North has turned strongly against the war. But 11th-hour victories at Mobile Bay, Atlanta, and the Shenandoah Valley tilt the election to Lincoln and the Confederacy's last hope for independence dies. In an ironic twist, poignantly typical of the Civil War, Lee's Arlington mansion is turned into a Union military hospital and the estate becomes Arlington National Cemetery, the Union's most hallowed ground.

EP8 War is All Hell: 1865 Sep 27, 1990

The episode begins with William Tecumseh Sherman's brilliant march to the sea, which brings the war to the heart of Georgia and the Carolinas and spells the end of the Confederacy. In March, following Lincoln's second inauguration, first Petersburg and then Richmond finally fall to Grant's army. Lee's tattered Army of Northern Virginia flees westward towards a tiny crossroads town called Appomattox Court House. There the dramatic and deeply moving surrender of Lee to Grant takes place. The episode ends in Washington where John Wilkes Booth begins to dream of vengeance for the South.

EP9 The Better Angels of Our Nature: 1865 Sep 27, 1990

This extraordinary final episode of The Civil War begins in the bittersweet aftermath of Lee's surrender and then goes on to narrate the horrendous events of five days later when, on April 14, Lincoln is assassinated. After chronicling Lincoln's poignant funeral, the series recounts the final days of the war, the capture of John Wilkes Booth and the fates of the Civil War's major protagonists. The episode then considers the consequences and meaning of a war that transformed the country from a collection of states to the nation we are today.
9| 0h30m| TV-14| en
Synopsis

A documentary on the American Civil War narrated by Ken Burns, covering the secession of the Confederacy to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

Director

Producted By

Florentine Films

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Trailers & Clips

Reviews

Harockerce What a beautiful movie!
Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!
Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict
Aspen Orson There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.
DKosty123 Ken Burns best series. I have watched the others he has made, but no matter what the subject, it is this one Burns covered the best. The things that made it great are-*Research - there is no doubt the intelligence and research behind this series shows up throughout. This makes points about the importance of this conflict to our country.Photography - this series pulled out many of the great photos of the war that had been obscured by history and makes them come to life. This conflict was marked by Matthew Brady, and this show even brings more of the first really photographed war into focus.Use of Civil War Diaries - there is no better way to tell history than through the notes/thoughts of the people who wrote down their own experiences of this war.Narration - this series employs a lot of narrators who add to the viewing effect of the film.Historic accuracy - Burns took pains to make sure the content of this series is accurate.Technology - a lot of the modern weapons used years later in both World Wars were invented by both sides in this war. Even at the end, the siege of Petersburg, Virginia employed the early use of trench warfare, years before World War 1.Railroads got their first war use here. The first Medals of Honor awarded to Union Soldiers by Lincoln during this war involved the stealing of a locomotive, The General. Railroads contributions to this conflict were real and a lot beyond just the stolen locomotive.This series is a statement about the importance of History, which if not stated and studied is doomed to be repeated. Hiding history is the most dangerous thing to do. Revising history is dangerous too.The graphic photos here from this war are a tale of horror and many more deaths than Vietnam, though I am very happy with Ken Burns latest new study of Vietnam. I wish he had done that one first. It was over due. Geoffrey C. Ward wrote The Civil War series and the Vietnam War series, and both show a lot of class.
Joe Paris Through this episode of Ken Burns' series The Civil War, I was afforded a glimpse at what seems to be a splendid documentary of the war between the states. Burns first focuses on analyzing the lives and mannerisms of the war's duo of prominent opposing generals, U.S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. He does this to a very pleasant extent of thoroughness, and qualifies both generals as outstanding and respectable men. He then went on to examine the stalemate that these two engaged in while trying to outflank each other for control of the strategically paramount location of the Confederate Capitol, Richmond. While doing this, he spends time to respect the horrendous conditions of battle during the war between the states, specifically at the battle of Chancellorsville. He further analyzes the atrocious effects of the war by discussing the conditions in which the wounded were held, many to their mortal termination. This is a very informative and engaging documentary.
grantss The greatest documentary series ever made.Incredibly well researched, superbly narrated, insightful interviews. When I first watched the series, I didn't know much about the American Civil War. The series made me want to find out more as it showed the what for it was – the higher ideal. Of course, it also showed the military strategy nd tactics, but it showed a lot more than that. It showed the causes of it, the impacts on everyday people as well as senior politicians and generals. Plus it showed the ramifications of it.Over the years I have watched the series many more times. As my knowledge of the Civil War has grown, you would expect my enjoyment of the series to diminish. Not the case. Greater knowledge makes you appreciate the series even more, as you realise how much there is to know, and how they managed to condense it into such an entertaining series without straying from the truth or dumbing it down.Just having those prominent historians explain certain things is enthralling. Moreover, the impact of the gravitas of David McCullough's narration cannot be understated. Just hearing him say "The line held" is spine-tingling, and very emotional.A brilliant series.
denis888 I love The US Civil War films, try to collect and watch them all. And was looking for the series for a long time, and finally got them. it took me several days to watch all 9 episodes, but that was really worth it. Ken Burns did a marvelous job here - the music, the interviews, the old photos, the scenery, the outstanding depth of materials prepared - everything here stands out and shines. The deliberate slow tempo of the narration makes it a treat for the unprepared, but the Civil War buffs like me devour every modicum of information and love it. I must praise the excellent voice-over, the great casting of actors doing this job, the supers array of facts and figures. The old footage of war veterans talking, laughing and hugging made me cry. I loved every minute of the whole serial Very highly recommended Not only for buffs but for all who like history

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