Welcome to Ben Franklin's World,

Podcast about Early American History with Liz Covert.

The study of history is key to understanding who we are

and how we can affect a better future.

Van Franklin's world will introduce you to historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present day world.

And now, here's your host, Liz Colarn.

Hello and welcome to episode 72 of Ben Franklin's world.

The podcast dedicated to helping you learn more about how the people and events of our

early American past have shaped the present

day world we live in.

The American Civil War.

It took place over 150 years ago, between 1861 and

1865. Over 600,000 Americans lost their lives in that war and the post-war

legacy of the event affects present-day American views and policies on civil

rights and race relations. The Civil War stands as a watershed event in

United States history, so today in an effort to better understand the war, we will speak with Civil War historian Ari Kelman,

the McCabe Greer Professor of History at the Pennsylvania State University and author of the book Battle Lines, a graphic history of the Civil War.

During our conversation Ari reveals how writing a graphic history differs from

writing a traditional history book. Details about the day-to-day

lies of Union and Confederate soldiers and Union and Confederate civilians. And what life was like

in Western regions and the border states.

I am really excited about this episode because this is our first episode with a historian from my undergraduate alma mater, Penn State. I attended Penn State from

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