The American Civil War is often considered the first modern industrial war. Both North and South endeavored to mobilize their resources to wage total war. This experience revolutionized naval warfare, and in doing so, forever changed America’s political, social, and economic fabric.

Profound respect and undying gratitude are owed to the merchant mariners who operated these ships even when they knew the work could be extremely dangerous.

The USS Roanoke was a Merrimack-class steam screw frigate built at the Gosport Navy Yard. When the Civil War erupted, Roanoke captured several blockade runners and fought during the March 1862 Battle of Hampton Roads.

Conducting scientific experiments comes with challenges but ultimately provides valuable information for developing conservation treatments.

We're familiar with aircraft pilots, but did you know that ships have pilots too? In this special episode of Beyond the Frame, we take a peek into the career of ship pilots as told through Former Maryland Pilot and Artist Captain Brian Hope's work, Boarding a Liberty ship - 1947.

CSS Alabama, commanded by Captain Raphael Semmes, had spent nearly two years capturing and destroying 65 Northern merchant ships and whalers. There were seven different expeditionary raids from the Eastern Atlantic to the Java Sea and back near where the vessel had been built.

Matthew Henson was a black explorer who sailed many expeditions, including one to the North Pole!