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.

In this podcast, listeners learn about one of the most dramatic events of the Civil War—the explosion of tons of gunpowder under part of the Confederate line at Petersburg, July 30, 1864. 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."

Edward L. Ayers of the University of Virginia looks at Northern and Southern responses to John Brown's Raid and John Brown's execution, focusing on the regional differences the responses brought to the fore and media manipulation of these responses.

To view this clip, select "John Brown's Raid and the American Sectional Crisis" under "Political Development Video."

Kathryn Kish Sklar of SUNY-Binghamton looks at the differing perceptions of women and family life held by antebellum political parties and the tensions this led to that may have contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War.

To view this clip, select "Women and Political Activity in the Antebellum Whig Party" under "Political Development Video."

James O. Horton of George Washington University gives examples of incidences of recovery of fugitive slaves and kidnapping of free blacks in the North, following the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law; and discusses the contradiction between Southern support of the Fugitive Slave Law and Southern support of state rights.

To view this clip, select "The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850" under "African-American Experience Video."

Gerald Prokopowicz of the Lincoln Museum outlines Lincoln's experiences as a captain in the Black Hawk War and the general ineffectiveness of militia in Lincoln's day.

To view this clip, select "Abraham Lincoln's Militia Service in the Black Hawk War" under "Abraham Lincoln's Biography Video."

Eric Foner of Columbia University discusses the religious base of many abolitionists' beliefs; and contrasts it to Lincoln's antislavery position, based on concepts from the Declaration of Independence and the idea of free labor.

To listen to this clip, scroll to "Abraham Lincoln and the Roots of the Abolitionist Movement" under "Abraham Lincoln's Biography Video."

Eric Foner of Columbia University discusses Abraham Lincoln's preference, pre-Civil War, for the establishment of African colonies as a solution to race tensions in the U.S.; and looks at his movement away from this solution during the Civil War.

To view this clip, select "Abraham Lincoln and the Problem of Race and Slavery" under "Abraham Lincoln's Biography Video."