The Civil War(1990)
The Civil War Synopsis
A documentary on the American Civil War narrated by Ken Burns, covering the secession of the Confederacy to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
The Civil War (1990) is a documentary and war & politics series that premiered on September 23, 1990, spanning 1 season and 9 episodes. It stars David McCullough, Sam Waterston, Julie Harris and Jason Robards. Viewers rate it 7.9 out of 10 across 134 ratings.
- First aired:
- 1990-09-23
- Last aired:
- 1990-09-27
- Producers:
- Ken Burns
The Civil War Cast & Crew
Main cast
David McCullough
as Narrator (voice)
Sam Waterston
as Abraham Lincoln (voice)
Julie Harris
as Mary Chestnut (voice)
Jason Robards
as Ulysses S. Grant (voice)
Morgan Freeman
as Frederick Douglass / John Boston (voice)
Paul Roebling
as Joshua Chamberlain (voice)
Garrison Keillor
as Walt Whitman (voice)
- George Black
George Black
as Robert E. Lee (voice)
Arthur Miller
as William Tecumseh Sherman (voice)
Christopher Murney
as Elisha Hunt Rhodes (voice)
- Charles McDowell
Charles McDowell
as Samuel R. Watkins (voice)
Horton Foote
as Jefferson Davis (voice)
Key crew
Executive produced by Ken Burns.
Explore more Documentary shows
The Civil War Reviews & Ratings
Average viewer score of 7.9/10 from 134 ratings.
You may also like
The American Revolution
2025
The War
2007
WWII in HD
2009
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
2014
The World at War
1973
World War II in Colour
2009
American Experience
1988
Superpowered: The DC Story
2023
History's Greatest Mysteries
2020
The Circus
2016
Marvel Studios Legends
2021
100 Years of Warner Bros.
2023
Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson
2021
Mysteries at the Museum
2010
American Monster
2016
Disney Gallery / Star Wars: The Mandalorian
2020
MegaStructures
2004
Top Gear
1978
Savage Kingdom
2016
American Masters
1986
Shows similar to The Civil War
Sins of Our Mother
2022
Apocalypse: World War I
2014
The Honourable Woman
2014
The World Wars
2014
The Crimson Field
2014
Ice Age Giants
2013
Silicon Fucking Valley
2024
Untitled Dirty John Documentary Series
TV
Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History
2026
Diana: One Day in Paris
TV
Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston
2026
The Passing Bells
2014
Pee-wee as Himself
2025
King & Conqueror
2025
Penguins on a Plane: Great Animal Moves
2014
Lincoln
1974
Blue Planet III
TV
The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga
2024
Ångest non stop
2021
Wild Crime: Blood Mountain
2023
The Civil War – Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I stream The Civil War?
+
The Civil War (1990) is available to stream on Hoopla, HISTORY Vault Apple TV channel, HISTORY Vault Amazon Channel, PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel, Thirteen and WETA+, with episodes also available to buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability comes from JustWatch data and varies by country.
How many seasons of The Civil War are there?
+
The Civil War has 1 season and 9 episodes in total, starting from its premiere on September 23, 1990.
Is The Civil War still running?
+
No. The Civil War is marked as ended, with the final episode airing on September 27, 1990.
Who is in the cast of The Civil War?
+
The Civil War (1990) stars David McCullough, Sam Waterston, Julie Harris, Jason Robards and Morgan Freeman. The full cast list with character names is available in the cast section of this page.
Is The Civil War any good?
+
The Civil War (1990) is rated 7.9 out of 10 from 134 viewer votes, and suits viewers who like documentary and war & politics series. Reviews from viewers are collected further down this page.