The Civil War is a documentary film created by Ken Burns and co-produced by his brother, Ric, that tells intimate and detailed stories about the American Civil War. More than 10 hours in length, the documentary has nine episodes that explore the Civil War through personal stories and photos. During the creation of the movie, Burns made extensive use of over 16,000 archival photographs, paintings, and newspaper images from the time of the war. The series' slow zooming and panning across the photos resulted in the coining of the term the "Ken Burns effect".
Approximately 40 million viewers watched it during its initial broadcast in 1990, making it the most-watched program ever to air on PBS. It was subsequently awarded more than 40 major television and film honors.
This special program -- "Ken Burns: The Civil War"—highlights the making of the original documentary film as part of a celebration of the film's 25th anniversary.
