Title: Civil War Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Open Graph Title: Civil War Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
X Title: Civil War Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Description: Discover Civil War facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Open Graph Description: Discover Civil War facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
X Description: Discover Civil War facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Opengraph URL: https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/civil-war
Domain: www.mentalfloss.com
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/civil-war/harriet-tubman-civil-war-raid","headline":"When Harriet Tubman Helped Lead a Civil War Raid That Freed 750 People","description":"With the Combahee River Raid of 1863, Harriet Tubman earned her nickname \"Moses\" all over again—and became the first woman in U.S. history to lead a major military expedition.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Brigit Katz"},"datePublished":"2019-10-17T17:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-01-24T20:14:39Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/civil-war/harriet-tubman-civil-war-raid"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/civil-war/robert-smalls-statue-south-carolina","headline":"Robert Smalls, Civil War Hero Who Escaped Enslavement, Is Getting a Statue in South Carolina","description":"The ship’s pilot helped his family reach freedom, then served in the Civil War and in the U.S. Congress. Robert Smalls’s statue will be the first to honor an individual Black citizen on South Carolina State House grounds. ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Tim Brinkhof"},"datePublished":"2024-11-01T22:03:00Z","dateModified":"2024-11-01T22:03:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/civil-war/robert-smalls-statue-south-carolina"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/presidents/franklin-pierce-treason-hoax","headline":"The Bizarre Story Behind How Franklin Pierce Was Accused of Treason","description":"An anonymous letter supposedly from a member of a secret society claimed that Franklin Pierce was involved in treasonous activities against the American government—an accusation that infuriated the former president.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Austin Thompson"},"datePublished":"2024-04-24T18:01:00Z","dateModified":"2024-04-24T18:01:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/presidents/franklin-pierce-treason-hoax"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/richmond-robert-e-lee-statue-time-capsule","headline":"Another Time Capsule Was Retrieved From Beneath Richmond's Recently Removed Robert E. Lee Statue","description":"The time capsule dates back to 1887 and was thought to contain an image of Abraham Lincoln in his coffin. Conservators found something else instead.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jake Rossen"},"datePublished":"2021-12-29T11:30:00Z","dateModified":"2021-12-29T11:30:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/richmond-robert-e-lee-statue-time-capsule"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/presidents/abraham-lincoln-hair-sculpture","headline":"This Priceless 'Hairy Eagle' Sculpture Is Made Out of Abraham Lincoln's Hair","description":"At the height of the Civil War, a soldier advocacy group displayed a sculpture made from the presidential follicles of Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary to raise money for troops. Now it's a historical curio.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jake Rossen"},"datePublished":"2021-09-30T17:00:00Z","dateModified":"2021-09-30T17:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/presidents/abraham-lincoln-hair-sculpture"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/folklore-mythology/real-mythology-helped-inspire-jrr-tolkien-elves","headline":"The Real Mythology That Helped Inspire J.R.R. Tolkien's Elves","description":"How Old Norse sagas, Anglo-Saxon poems, and Irish mythology helped J.R.R. Tolkien transform tiny Victorian fairies into the majestic Elves of Middle-earth.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Matt Hoffman"},"datePublished":"2026-11-11T23:00:03Z","dateModified":"2026-11-11T23:00:03Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/folklore-mythology/real-mythology-helped-inspire-jrr-tolkien-elves"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/misconceptions/real-pocahontas-facts","headline":"5 Facts You Might Not Know About the Real Pocahontas","description":"Find out the real history of Pocahontas, from her true names (Matoaka and Amonute) to the truth behind John Smith’s famous execution story.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Colin Scanlon"},"datePublished":"2026-11-08T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-08T15:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/misconceptions/real-pocahontas-facts"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/food/foods-families-ate-during-gilded-age","headline":"6 Foods Families Really Ate During the Gilded Age","description":"From potted ham and boiled cabbage to diamondback terrapin and celery, discover what high society—and working-class families—actually ate during the Gilded Age.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Nitya Rao"},"datePublished":"2026-11-08T01:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-08T01:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/food/foods-families-ate-during-gilded-age"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/tv/real-historical-figures-gilded-ag","headline":"10 Real-Life Historical Figures in HBO’s 'The Gilded Age'","description":"The HBO show 'The Gilded Age' features a number of people who really did live during the Gilded Age, from the real Mrs. Catherine Astor to Booker T. Washington.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-11-07T23:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-07T23:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/tv/real-historical-figures-gilded-ag"}}
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