The Civil War (1990– )

TV Mini-Series  -   -  Documentary | History | War
8.9
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Ratings: 8.9/10 from 3,426 users  
Reviews: 61 user | 14 critic

A comprehensive survey of the American Civil War.

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Season:

1

Year:

1990
Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 8 wins & 1 nomination. See more awards »

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Cast

Series cast summary:
...
 President Abraham Lincoln (9 episodes, 1990)
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 Mary Chestnut (9 episodes, 1990)
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 Ulysses S. Grant (9 episodes, 1990)
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 Frederick Douglass (9 episodes, 1990)
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 Walt Whitman (9 episodes, 1990)
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 William Tecumseh Sherman (9 episodes, 1990)
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 George Templeton Strong (9 episodes, 1990)
Horton Foote ...
 Jefferson Davis (9 episodes, 1990)
George Black ...
 Robert E. Lee (9 episodes, 1990)
...
 Horace Greeley (9 episodes, 1990)
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 Various (9 episodes, 1990)
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 Various (9 episodes, 1990)
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 Various (9 episodes, 1990)
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 Various (9 episodes, 1990)
...
 Various (9 episodes, 1990)
...
 Himself (9 episodes, 1990)
David McCullough ...
 Narrator (9 episodes, 1990)
Charles McDowell ...
 Sam Watkins (9 episodes, 1990)
...
 Elijah Hunt Rhodes (9 episodes, 1990)
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. ...
 Various (9 episodes, 1990)
...
 Various (9 episodes, 1990)
Ed Bearss ...
 Himself (6 episodes, 1990)
Barbara Fields ...
 Herself (5 episodes, 1990)
James Symington ...
 Himself (4 episodes, 1990)
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Storyline

This highly acclaimed mini series traces the course of the U.S. Civil War from the abolitionist movement through all the major battles to the death of President Lincoln and the beginnings of Reconstruction. The story is mostly told in the words of the participants themselves, through their diaries, letters, and Visuals are usually still photographs and illustrations of the time, and the soundtrack is likewise made up of war-era tunes played on period instruments. Several modern-day historians offer periodic comment and insight on the war's causes and events. Written by Eric Sorensen <Eric_Sorensen@fc.mcps.k12.md.us>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

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It divided a country. It created a nation.


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Also Known As:

Az amerikai polgárháború története  »

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1.33 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The piano music used to soundtrack the Abraham Lincoln scenes is "God Save the South". See more »

Goofs

In describing the assassination of President Lincoln, the narrator states the president was 54 years old when he died. He was, in fact, 56 years old. This mistake, however, has been corrected on the DVD. See more »

Quotes

[On his escape from slavery]
Frederick Douglass: I appear this evening as a thief and robber. I stole this head, these limbs, this body from my master and ran off with them.
See more »

Connections

Spoofed in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.190 (2011) See more »

Soundtracks

"Marching Through Georgia"
Written by Henry Clay Work
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User Reviews

 
The best use to which television has been put
28 September 2002 | by (New York) – See all my reviews

As a historian I can say that there is little so difficult or gratifing as to bring history accurately alive for others. As a military historian I will say that war is both the highest and lowest achievement and calling of humanity. All wars are filled with pathos, and it is almost by definition impossible to fully understand and contextualize them until they are of the past. It may be that the US Civil War is that around which the greatest pathos exists; perhaps the last war in which honour and purpose were equally upheld on both sides - which is not to say that all those who participated were honorable or idealistic. In this work, Ken Burns brought history to life, made the war as understandable as possible, and transmitted the pathos, the honour, the horror, the vileness, and the humanity of the thing. In so doing he redefined film documentary. The Civil War is the best use to which television has been put.


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