David Herbert Donald, Charles Warren Professor of American History and Professor of American Civilization Emeritus at Harvard University, talks about the qualities and experience that made Abraham Lincoln both an exceptional and an unlikely national leader.

John Lloyd of California State Polytechnic University looks at the transition of the ideological and political conflicts that led to the Civil War and that continued during the war from conflict over the maintenance of the Union to conflict over the existence and continuation of slavery.

John Lloyd of California State Polytechnic University looks at the political and ideological conflicts between the North and South that led up to the Civil War, including the extension of slavery into the territories and debate over the Fugitive Slave Law.

This podcast from the Milwaukee Public Museum describes the life of an early African-American family in 1800s Milwaukee.

To listen to this lecture, scroll to "The Sully Watson House" under "2007 Milwaukee Digital Media Conference," and select "Download File."

Mark Grimsley of Ohio State University discusses the soldiers who fought in the Civil War from a social history perspective, looking at who they were, where they came from, and why they fought. He looks particularly at African-American experiences and participation in the war, at conscription, and at the manipulation and suppression of aspects of the war's social impact and breadth.

Michael Johnson of Johns Hopkins University discusses slavery from an educator's perspective, looking particularly at his own techniques for teaching the subject. He examines the topic from a broad view, establishing context for his later discussion of Frederick Douglass. This lecture was delivered as part of "America in the Civil War Era: A History Institute for Teachers," held May 17-18 at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Wachman Center and by the Clausen Center for World Business, Carthage College and Adult Education, Carthage College.

Audio and video options are available.

This podcast describes the signature exhibit at the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia, which covers the entire Civil War and some of the war's most famous artifacts, including Robert E. Lee's camp gear and JEB Stuart's plumed hat.

On April 4, 1865, just one day after Richmond was evacuated, President Abraham Lincoln toured the still-smoldering former Confederate capital. This tour follows in his footsteps. Designed as a seven-stop walking tour, this podcast can also be listened to to gain a sense of the site's layout and history.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, examines several years of Abraham Lincoln's life, including Lincoln's continued opposition of Stephen Douglas's political views; his rise to presidential candidacy; the fevered presidential race that followed; the secession of Southern states in reaction to his election; and his First Inaugural Address. This lecture continues from the lecture "Lincoln's Biography, Part Seven: Debating Douglas on the National Stage, 1857-1858."

To view this documentary, scroll to "Multimedia Slideshows," and select "The Campaign of the Century, 1859-1861."

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, examines several years of Abraham Lincoln's life, including his campaign for U.S. Senate against Stephen Douglas; his arguments against Douglas; the content of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates; and his failure to win the Senate position. This lecture continues from the lecture "Lincoln's Biography, Part Six: Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Rise of the Republican Party, 1854-1856."

To view this documentary, scroll to "Multimedia Slideshows," and select "Debating Douglas on the National Stage, 1857-1858."