American history teachers may want to check out Emory University’s “The Martyred President,” which provides full text access to fifty seven sermons on Abraham Lincoln’s death. The site includes sermons from different regions and religious denominations, such as Rev. Richard Eddy’s “The Martyr to Liberty” (Universalist) and Rev. Samuel T. Spear’s “The Punishment of Treason” (Presbyterian). These sermons, however, are largely from northern ministers.

The infamous location of Lincoln’s assassination, Ford’s Theatre, reopened its doors in February with a dual functionality: theatre and museum.  The Ford’s Theatre Society along with its partner the National Park Service renovated the historic Washington DC landmark, adding a 7,000 square foot exhibit which memorializes Abraham Lincoln, and restoring the theater to its appearance on the evening of April 14, 1865–the night John Wilkes Booth killed Lincoln.  The memorial exhibit offers patrons an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the presidential tenure of Abraham Lincoln through mini exhibits that document his endeavors beginning with his inaugural train ride and ending with his funeral precession.  Additionally, the balcony where Lincoln sat has been completely restored and will remain as a permanent exhibit within the actual theater.

If you find yourself planning a tour of our nation’s capital, you should definitely add the Ford’s Theatre to your list of sites to see.  However, if you don’t see yourself making the trip, I suggest you check out the society’s virtual tour.  For more information you should look over the New York Times’ review of the theater as well as the accompanying slideshow of digital photographs.

The Nashville Business Journal informed readers yesterday morning of the newly set plan to re-inter an unknown Civil War soldier found at a construction site near Franklin, Tennessee.  Those who have studied the soldier are unclear about which side he fought for, because of an amalgamation of uniforms.  Though, it seems fairly clear that the soldier was probably killed at the Battle of Franklin, in late November of 1864.  Yet, nonetheless, they know that he needs a proper burial.  “We have to go through some legal procedures … before we can re-bury him,” explains the man in charge of the re-burial, Sam Grant.  Because of such obstacles, the soldier will not be able to reach his final resting place until October, at the Rest Haven Cemetery.  Such work by men like Sam Grant, continues the fight to preserve and honor our past.

This weekend, the 18th and 19th of July, the National Park Service will hold an artillery demonstration at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the Charleston Daily Mail informed readers this morning. The display is to show viewers how Stonewall Jackson’s men took the Union arsenal in the Battle of Harpers Ferry, in 1862. Also, there will be a demonstration concerning Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, informing the guests about the battle. These are just a few of these programs offered at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, a great place to visit.

The Smithsonian recently brought their Civil War collection to the internet.  The site allows users to view the different exhibits from the comfort of their own homes.  Each exhibit displays an image as well as a relevant description of the artifact.  The exhibits deal with issues such as slavery and abolition, soldiering, and leaders.  Additionally, the Smithsonian created a timeline section that follows the course of historical events beginning with John Brown’s raid in 1859 and ending with the convictions of the Lincoln assassination conspirators in 1865.  Also, the site lists a set of resources for each exhibit which includes general reference material, websites, and printed materials.  As expected (from the Smithsonian) this website smashes a home run when it comes to making history engaging and accessible.

If you are interested in spending a semester away from your home institution but don’t feel like heading for western Europe, and are a Civil War buff, the Gettysburg Semester is probably right for you.  The Gettysburg Semester, directed by Lincoln Scholar Allen C. Guelzo, is a semester designed to dive students into Civil War Era studies at Gettysburg College.  The Semester offers an array of courses dealing with the American Civil War, including a “field studies course,” in which students explore the many battlefields not far from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  The Gettysburg Semester is a great alternative to the traditional study abroad semesters offered by many colleges.

Twitter is the latest craze on the internet and its reach already extends across countless aspects of society, from news reports to celebrity gossip. It is only natural that the 140-character phenomenon would extend into the historical realm with TwHistory.

TwHistory is using the Twitter niche to tell history’s stories in a new and interesting way. As a tool, the team behind TwHistory argues that Twitter can be used to tell individual stories in a day-by-day format. Their current project is the Battle of Gettysburg and individuals currently “tweeting” include Abraham Lincoln, George Meade, and Edward P. Alexander. TwHistory is still a work in progress and is always looking for more volunteers.

A free Twitter account is required to view TwHistory’s publications and while you are at it don’t forget to use the service to follow the House Divided project.

Today, if he were alive, it would be Young Marshall Moody‘s 187th birthday.  Moody was a Confederate Brigadeer General from the Old Dominion State.  After initially fighting for Virginia, he then rose through the ranks with outfits from Alabama and finally surrendered his brigade at Appomattox Courthouse.  Moody is featured on the Daily Report of the House Divided site for June 23, 1859, on which he turned 37.  The Daily Report features a day-by-day calendar showing events, birthdays, and documents.  The Daily Report is a great way to look at the era in a whole different light, closer to how they experienced it day-by-day.

From late June to early July of 1864, a fierce battle raged between Johnston and Sherman’s armies.  This battle was fought around quiet Kennesaw Mountain. Last February, the National Park Service gained a key piece of land on which this battle was raged.  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution informed readers that Sam Hensley recently sold 35 of his 70 acres to the Trust for Public Land.  In turn, the National Park Service gained this valuable land.  Hensley had moved onto the land in 1957 and quietly expanded his private property.  After the death of his wife in 2003, Hensley decided that he wanted to be sure that the land was preserved after his death.  Therefore, he sold his land for $3.5 million, nowhere near the estimated commercial value of the property.  Luckily, the National Park Service won in the endless battle to preserve our nation’s past.

Civil War Traveler offers audio tours given by National Park Service historians.  These tours can be accessed directly through the site or via a free subscription in iTunes.  Each podcast episode follows a historian as he walks along a famous Civil War battlefield or location such as Antietam or the Appomattox Court House.  Since they record each episode live at the battlefield as the historian walks the site, you can download these audio files to a portable music device and use them as your own personal guide at each historic site.  The website also has downloadable maps of each historic location in pdf form to help you stay in sync with your guide.  This site would be great for bolstering field trips or for teachers who enjoy using their imagination.  Students can listen to the tour and follow the guide’s route on the map for a rather engaging experience.