American Experience - Season 13 - Eps 8: Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided, Part II
When the Lincolns arrive in Washington, D.C., in 1861, the president-elect is deemed untested and is mistrusted; Mary, meanwhile, is suspected of being a Confederate sympathizer due to being the daughter of a Southern slave owner. As Abraham deals with the national tragedy of the Civil War, the couple also face a tragedy much closer to home: the 1862 death of their son Willie. The aftermath of son Willie's death finds Mary turning to spiritualists for comfort and, perhaps, slipping from sanity. President Lincoln, however, has another matter larger than his own grief that demands attention---the war. Included: the step he took that changed the nature of the conflict, the Emancipation Proclamation, which he issued on Jan. 1, 1863.
About American Experience
Title: American Experience
First Air Date: 1988-10-04
Last Air Date: 2025-03-31
Status: Returning Series
Rating: 7.4/10 (from 36 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 38
Total Episodes: 397
Network: PBS
Genres: Documentary
Production Companies: GBH
Synopsis
TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
