Ken Burns Florentine Films/American Documentary, Inc Ken Burns - Florentine Films Oates, Stephen

Description

This is raw footage of an interview that Ken Burns conducted with Stephen Oates, a historian. The interview takes place on March 16, 1988. In this interview, Oates emphasizes the central importance of the Civil War in American and global history. For Oates, the success of the Union proved that popular government was an effective governing system. Oates also portrays Lincoln as a strong leader while also telling stories about the president that are not widely known, such as the fact that Lincoln had a series of dreams in which he drifted on a ship into unknown waters. He emphasizes the key role that slavery held in setting off the Civil War and describes the impact that slaves had on changing the outcome of the war with their political actions. Oates also describes many of the key players and generals in the war and their strengths or weaknesses as leaders.

Record Contributed By

Ken Burns - Florentine Films

Record Harvested From

Digital Commonwealth