If you pay any attention to the news, you’ll probably hear about how divided our country is down the political line.  You might think half of our elected officials are un-American based on the heated rhetoric spewing forth from the 24-hour-news outlets.

But like much else that gets drastically exaggerated, the notion of just how much internal conflict is going on right now is also hyperbolic considering that 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War — a time where the country was truly divided.

To get an idea of what that must’ve been like, Ken Burns’ documentary The Civil War is getting released on DVD:

Ken Burns’s nine-part series took nearly six years to complete — longer than the Civil War itself — and has been hailed as a masterpiece of historical storytelling.  Through the careful use of archival photographs, live modern cinematography, music, narration, and a chorus of first-person voices, Burns does more than merely recount historical facts: THE CIVIL WAR unearths the very heart of the American experience; listening to the ghosts and echoes of an almost inexpressibly wise past.

The Emmy Award-winning, six-disc set includes a collector’s booklet and an hour of extra footage including previously unreleased interviews.  In addition to the DVD release, PBS is also airing the entire series over five consecutive nights starting on April 3rd.

The Civil War: 150th Anniversary Edition will retail for $99.99.