American Civil War

The American Civil War was a major conflict fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865. The war was fought between the Northern states (the Union) and the Southern states that seceded to form the Confederate States of America. The primary cause of the war was the issue of slavery and its expansion into new territories. The war began when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in April 1861. Over the next four years, the conflict became the deadliest war in American history. Major battles like Gettysburg, Antietam, and Shiloh resulted in massive casualties on both sides. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which declared enslaved people in Confederate states to be free. The Union victory in 1865 preserved the United States as one nation and ended slavery throughout the country. The war resulted in approximately 620,000 deaths. The legacy of the Civil War continues to shape American politics, race relations, and regional identities today.

Articles

American Civil War

American Civil War: Overview

American Civil War: A Detailed Overview
- A detailed article that covers the major causes, events and history of the American Civil War.

Underground Railroad — 'A Ride for Liberty - The Fugitive Slaves' by Eastman Johnson. (1860) Shows African Americans fleeing slavery in the Southern United States during the American Civil War.

The Battle of Franklin during the American Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln Civil War — Lincoln meeting with Union Army officers on October 3rd, 1862, following the Battle of Antietam. (Colorized by historycrunch.com)

Abraham Lincoln Assassination — John Wilkes Booth leaning forward to shoot President Abraham Lincoln as he watches Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14th, 1865.

Abraham Lincoln Gettysburg Address — United States postal stamp from 1948, commemorating the 85th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln.

Home Front of the Civil War

Home Front of the American Civil War
- Life in the North During the Civil War
- Life in the South During the Civil War
- Economics in the American Civil War
- Women in the American Civil War
- African American Soldiers (54th Massachusetts)

Warfare in the American Civil War

Naval Blockade and Anaconda Plan
Trench Warfare in the American Civil War
Total Warfare in the American Civil War

Weapons of the Civil War

Weapons of the American Civil War
- Rifles in the American Civil War
- Artillery in the American Civil War
- Ironclad Warships in the American Civil War
- Submarines in the Civil War

Technology of the Civil War

Technology in the American Civil War
- Telegraph in the American Civil War
- Railroads in the American Civil War
- Photography in the American Civil War
- Hot Air Balloons in the American Civil War