Torn in Two: 150th Anniversary of the Civil War

The American Civil War is one of the defining events in American history. To commemorate its 150th anniversary, the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library presents the exhibition, Torn in Two: 150th Anniversary of the Civil War. This multimedia display takes a geographic and cartographic approach to exploring and illuminating the causes of the conflict, the conduct of the War and how the War was remembered in later years. It showcases 50 historic maps interwoven with 40 photographs, paintings, prints, diaries, political cartoons, music and press of the period, all from the Boston Public Library's special collections.

The exhibition is divided into three major temporal sections. The initial section, "Rising Tensions," exmaines the economic, social, and political differences between North and South that led to war. "Nation in Conflict," focuses on the War itself - the strategies and how it was conducted as well as how those at home followed the War's progress and contributed to the war effort. And the final section, "Remembering Battles and Heroes," documents the nation's attempts to commemorate the battles and honor the lives that were lost during the War.

The exhibition is on display from May through December 2011. The Library and the Map Center are also sponsoring extensive educational outreach programs including guided tours, Lowell Lecture Series presentations, family events, a fully illustrated catalog, educational programs for grades K to 12, and interactive elements - scavenger hunts and identity cards. A virtual exhibition can be found presently at Tornintwo.org and will be featured permanently on the Map Center's website.

The exhibition and a national tour are sponsored by Liberty Mutual Group.

WGBH Media Partner.