Civil War

PSN-curated Civil War primary source collections

Battles

People

More primary source collections

Teaching resources
Library collections
Prints & photographs collections
Primary documents in American History: Civil War and Reconstruction, 1860-1877
Chronicling America historic newspaper collection topic guides
Civil War newspapers by and for soldiers
More primary source sets
Online exhibition resources
Presentations
Civil War poetry resources
America’s Library
Webcasts
Library Blog Posts about the Civil War

Library of Congress Civil War search terms

Standardized subject headings for materials relating to the American Civil War include:

  • UNITED STATES-HISTORY-CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865
  • SECESSION-SOUTHERN STATES
  • CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA

Within these categories are further subject divisions, such as UNITED STATES-HISTORY–CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865–CAMPAIGNS.

Also search under:

  • Names of places (e.g., ALABAMA–HISTORY–CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865-CAVALRY OPERATIONS; CHARLESTON (S.C.)–HISTORY–CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865–FICTION.)
  • Names of battles (e.g. , GETTYSBURG, BATTLE OF, GETTYSBURG, PA., 1863)
  • Names of individuals prominent in the Civil War (e.g., LEE, ROBERT E. (ROBERT EDWARD), 1807-1870)
  • Names of vessels (e.g., MONITOR (IRONCLAD)

Some search systems also offer a keyword search capability, that may have uncontrolled terms such as:

  • CIVIL WAR
  • WAR BETWEEN THE STATES
  • WAR OF REBELLION