Summary of The American Civil War (1861-1865)

## Introduction The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the bloodiest conflict in United States history. It was fought between the **Union** (Northern states) and the **Confederacy** (11 Southern states that seceded). Over four years of fighting, more than half a million people died and the nation’s future was reshaped. > Definition: The American Civil War was a military conflict from 1861 to 1865 between the Union and the Confederate States over issues including slavery and states' rights. ## Main Sides and Terms ### Who fought? - **The Union**: Northern states that remained part of the United States. - **The Confederacy**: Eleven Southern states that seceded in 1861 and formed the Confederate States of America under President Jefferson Davis. > Definition: Secede means to withdraw formally from membership in a political union or organization. ## Causes of the War Break the causes into two main parts: social/economic differences and political principles. ### 1) Slavery and economic differences - The Southern economy depended on agriculture, especially cotton. - Cotton production relied on enslaved labor, so the South resisted efforts to end slavery. - The North was more industrial and had a larger population; abolitionists (people who wanted to end slavery) became stronger politically. > Definition: Abolitionist — someone who advocated for the immediate end of slavery. ### 2) States' rights - Many in the South believed individual states should decide their own laws without federal interference, especially regarding slavery. - The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 (a Republican opposed to the spread of slavery) accelerated Southern secession. > Definition: States' rights — the political powers that U.S. states possess in relation to the federal government. ## How the War Began - The war began in April 1861 when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina. - Early on, Confederate commanders achieved several victories due to experienced leadership. ## Advantages of the Union | Advantage | Why it mattered | |---|---| | Larger population | More soldiers and workers available for the war effort | | Stronger industry | Better weapons, ammunition, and supplies | | Better railways | Faster troop and supply movements | | More financial resources | Could sustain long campaigns and blockade efforts | ### Union strategy - A major Union strategy was a naval blockade of Southern ports to choke the Confederate economy. ## Important Turning Points (1863) - **Emancipation Proclamation**: In 1863 President Lincoln declared enslaved people in Confederate-held territory to be free. This changed the war’s aim to include ending slavery as well as preserving the Union. - **Battle of Gettysburg**: Fought in July 1863, this was the war’s most significant battle. General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army was defeated and never fully recovered. - **Sherman in the West**: General William Tecumseh Sherman led Union forces in the Western theater and captured Atlanta, then marched through Georgia, using a strategy of total war that destroyed military and economic resources. Did you know that the Emancipation Proclamation applied only to states in rebellion and not to slave-holding border states that remained in the Union? This made it a wartime measure rather than a full constitutional abolition. ## The War’s End - On April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending major Confederate resistance. - Shortly after the surrender, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. ## Results and Consequences - The United States remained one country; the Confederate states were not recognized as a separate nation. - **13th Amendment**: Slavery was abolished nationwide by the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. - The South underwent Reconstruction: a period of rebuilding its economy, infrastructure, and political systems. - Despite abolition, ra