Civil War 360

We all know who won the Civil War, but there were many moments when victory was anything but certain. Join Ashley Judd, great-great-great granddaughter of a Union soldier, as she takes us back 150 years for an intimate and comprehensive look at the North's battles and struggles during those bloody four years. From iconic artifacts like Old Glory to small objects like field medical kits and soldiers' photos, discover the stunning backstories of seemingly ordinary pieces from our past.

Slave badges from South Carolina. Sheet music filled with boasts of triumph. The jewelry of the First Lady of the Confederacy. Smithsonian curators have collected thousands of Confederate objects from the Civil War, which collectively offer a rich understanding of the South's viewpoint during this pivotal era in American history. Join country music singer Trace Adkins, whose ancestors fought for the South, as he follows the rise and fall of the Confederacy, from the men who fought to define "freedom" on their own terms to those who were caught in the wake of war.

A century and a half ago, North battled South in a conflict that would kill more Americans than any other war. The outcome would change our nation forever, and no one had more to gain, or to lose, than American slaves. Join actor Dennis Haysbert as he looks at their struggles through the objects in the Smithsonian's collection. From a child's shackles to the inkwell Lincoln used to write the Emancipation Proclamation, these artifacts transport us to a brutal and complicated time when our country tore itself apart.