New Civil War Trust War Department Video Series Puts Viewers at the Epicenter of Historical Events

(Washington, D.C.) - The Civil War Trust, the nation's largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization, is pleased to announce the latest breakthrough in digital historical interpretation and education - an ongoing web series designed to move past lists of names and dates, encouraging viewers to analyze the broader impact of historical events. The War Department™ video series approaches subjects not only from the question of what happened, but why it happened and why it mattered, prompting deeper critical thinking about past events. A trailer for the project, introducing this engaging new concept and offering a glimpse of the techniques and topics to be explored is now available on the Trust's website and through its social media channels. The first full episode, focusing on Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg, will premiere tomorrow, May 30.

"Too often historical events are considered in a vacuum, without looking at what sparked them and what subsequent ripples they caused," said Trust president James Lighthizer. "But the War Department™ video series' format asks those kinds of questions and prompts viewers toward a deeper analysis. We are out in the field with true experts, capturing their insight to generate a new level of discussion about the Civil War in America's classrooms and living rooms."

Each episode in the web-based video series will see expert historians, educators, military veterans and enthusiasts debate, discuss and analyze a particular aspect of Civil War history. Techniques including moderated discussions, battle animation, on-site analysis, and telestration will all be utilized. In-depth episodes will run approximately ten minutes, although two-minute shorts will also be produced. The entire War Department™ video series is designed to offer a "next step" in the Trust's online educational materials, building off factual articles and videos to encourage lively debate and critical thinking about events. 

Visit www.civilwar.org/learn/videos/war-department to watch the project's exciting trailer, designed to preview the engaging and dynamic techniques already familiar to many television and web entertainment viewers, but not typically applied to historical content. The first full episode in the War Department™ video series, an examination of Pickett's Charge will premiere tomorrow, May 30. Future episodes and shorts will be posted at regular intervals, together with links to topically relevant material elsewhere on the Trust website.

Civil War Trust is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.  Its mission is to preserve our nation's endangered Civil War battlefields and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds.  To date, it has preserved more than 38,500 acres of battlefield land in 20 states.  Learn more at www.civilwar.org, the home of the Civil War sesquicentennial.