Video: 'Ken Burns’ Civil War, ep1 part 2-3' (Feb. 18, 1861, at 29:18)

(Monday, February 18, 1861, approximately 1:00 p.m. local time) — Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as provisional president of the Confederate States of America today on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery before an audience estimated at ten thousand people.
Continue reading Jefferson Davis sworn in as provisional president of the Confederate States of America 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 18 1861) →

Video: 'Lincoln's Farewell Address to Springfield'

(Monday, February 11, 1861, 8:00 a.m. local time) — With the country on the brink of civil war over the issue of slavery, U.S. President-elect Abraham Lincoln departed his adopted hometown of Springfield, Illinois, today en route to his inauguration in the nation’s capital on Mar. 4, 1861.
Continue reading President-elect Abraham Lincoln bids farewell to adopted hometown of Springfield, Illinois 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 11 1861) →

Video: 'The Confederate States of America'

(Friday, February 8, 1861, at around midnight local time) — The Confederate States of America (CSA), an unrecognized breakaway state that fought against the United States of America during the American Civil War, was formed late tonight in the Alabama Capitol at Montgomery when representatives from seven secessionist slave states unanimously ratified a Provisional Constitution.
Continue reading Seven secessionist slave states form Confederate States of America 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 8 1861) →

Video: 'Texas in the Civil War'

(Friday, February 1, 1861; 12 weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 87 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform which opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, Texas became the seventh state to leave the Union today when the the Texas Legislature voted 166-7 to secede.
Continue reading Texas becomes seventh Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 1 1861) →

Video: 'Kansas - 50 States - US Geography'

(Tuesday, January 29, 1861; during ) — Following the succession of six Southern states over the issue of preserving slavery, President James Buchanan signed a bill today officially admitting Kansas, located in the Midwestern United States, as a free state.
Continue reading Kansas enters the Union as a free state 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 29 1861) →

Video: 'Louisiana in the Civil War'

(Saturday, January 26, 1861; 11 weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 81 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform which opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, Louisiana became the sixth state to secede today when delegates to the Secession Convention meeting in Baton Rouge voted 113 to 17 to leave the Union.
Continue reading Louisiana becomes sixth Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 26 1861) →

Video: 'Georgia in the Civil War'

(Saturday, January 19, 1861; ten weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 74 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform which opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, Georgia became the fifth state to secede today when delegates to the Georgia Secession Convention of 1861 meeting at the Milledgeville statehouse voted 208-89 to leave the Union.
Continue reading Georgia becomes fifth Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 19 1861) →

Video: 'Alabama in the Civil War'

(Friday, January 11, 1861; nine weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 66 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform which opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, Alabama became the fourth Southern state to secede today when delegates to the Alabama Secession Convention meeting in Montgomery voted 61-39 to leave the Union.
Continue reading Alabama becomes fourth Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 11 1861) →