The Civil War
The Civil War (1861–1865) was fought between the Union (North) and Confederacy (South). It was the bloodiest war in American history and ended slavery.
Causes
Multiple causes converged:
• Slavery — especially its expansion into new western territories
• States' rights vs federal authority
• Economic differences (industrial North vs. agrarian South)
• Sectional tensions — Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, Kansas-Nebraska Act, Dred Scott decision
Key Figures
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln | Union President; issued Emancipation Proclamation |
| Jefferson Davis | Confederate President |
| Ulysses S. Grant | Union general; accepted Confederate surrender |
| Robert E. Lee | Confederate general; surrendered at Appomattox |
| Frederick Douglass | Abolitionist; advised Lincoln |
Major Events
1861: Confederate states secede; Fort Sumter attack begins war.
1862: Battle of Antietam — bloodiest single day (22,000 casualties); Lincoln issues preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.
1863: Emancipation Proclamation (Jan. 1); Battle of Gettysburg — Confederate high tide; Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
1865: Lee surrenders at Appomattox; Lincoln assassinated; 13th Amendment abolishes slavery.
The Emancipation Proclamation
Issued January 1, 1863 by Lincoln. Declared enslaved people in Confederate states free. Transformed the war into a fight for human freedom and discouraged European support for the Confederacy.
Reconstruction
1865–1877: Rebuilding the South and integrating freed Black Americans. 13th (abolition), 14th (citizenship), 15th (voting rights) Amendments passed. Ended with withdrawal of federal troops; Jim Crow laws followed.
FAQ
Was the Civil War really about slavery? Yes — while states' rights was invoked, the specific right at issue was the right to maintain slavery, as Confederate secession documents explicitly state.
Quick Quiz
Test what you just learned. Choose the best answer for each question.