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A look at the people and events that shaped the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Covering American History C-SPAN style: with event coverage, eyewitness accounts, and discussions with authors, historians and teachers. Every weekend from 8am ET Saturday to 8am ET Monday on C-SPAN3.

In January, 2011, C-SPAN expanded its programming offerings with a new history-based service airing weekends on C-SPAN3. American History TV (AHTV) features programming geared toward history lovers with 48 hours every weekend of people and events that document the American story.

C-SPAN began C-SPAN3 operations in January 2001 as a digital service. C-SPAN3 is currently available in 49 million digital cable TV households and is streamed live online at C-SPAN.org.

At the time of the launch of American History TV, C-SPAN co-president Susan Swain said: "We’re hoping American History TV does for history enthusiasts what Book TV has done for non-fiction book lovers."

Most Recent The Civil War Videos

September 9, 2023
Union Soldiers Confront the Dead at Antietam

Sam Houston State University professor Brian Matthew Jordan talked about how Union soldiers confronted the thousands of dead…
November 13, 2021
Loudoun County, Virginia, During the Civil War

Local historians shared stories about Loudoun County, Virginia, during the Civil War. This program was part of a series sponsored…
October 15, 2022
Civil War POWs and Libby Prison

Lynn University Professor Robert Watson discussed the Confederacy’s infamous Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia, site…

October 1, 2022
America's Buried History

Author Ken Rutherford talks about the early history of landmines, which were used for the first time on a widespread…
February 11, 2023
National Museum of the Civil War Soldier - 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor

Historian Gordon Rhea discussed the Civil War Battle of Cold Harbor, Confederate Gen. Lee’s last major victory and a…
August 19, 2023
1863 Chattanooga Campaign

Historians talked about the Civil War’s Chattanooga Campaign, which took place in the fall of 1863 and resulted in Union…