American Civil War: Facts & Related Content
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The American Civil War was a four-year war (1861–65) between the United States and 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America.
Facts
Also Known As | War Between the States |
---|---|
Date | April 12, 1861 - April 26, 1865 |
Location | United States |
Participants | Confederate States of America • United States |
Context | Dred Scott decision • Missouri Compromise • Harpers Ferry Raid |
Top Questions
What caused the American Civil War?
The American Civil War was the culmination of the struggle between the advocates and opponents of slavery that dated from the founding of the United States. This sectional conflict between Northern states and slaveholding Southern states had been tempered by a series of political compromises, but by the late 1850s the issue of the extension of slavery to the western states had reached a boiling point. The election of Abraham Lincoln, a member of the antislavery Republican Party, as president in 1860 precipitated the secession of 11 Southern states, leading to a civil war.
How many people died during the American Civil War?
It is estimated that from 752,000 to 851,000 soldiers died during the American Civil War. This figure represents approximately 2 percent of the American population in 1860. The Battle of Gettysburg, one of the bloodiest engagements during the Civil War, resulted in about 7,000 deaths and 51,000 total casualties.
Why are Confederate symbols controversial?
The modern usage of Confederate symbols, especially the Confederate Battle Flag and statues of Confederate leaders, is considered controversial because many associate such symbols with racism, slavery, and white supremacy. The flag was revived as a popular symbol in the 1940s and ’50s by the Dixiecrat Democratic splinter group and others who opposed the American civil rights movement.
Who won the American Civil War?
The Union won the American Civil War. The war effectively ended in April 1865 when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his troops to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. The final surrender of Confederate troops on the western periphery came in Galveston, Texas, on June 2.
Who were the most important figures in the American Civil War?
Important people during the American Civil War included Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, whose election prompted the secession of Southern states; Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy; Ulysses S. Grant, the most successful and prominent general of the Union; and Robert E. Lee, Grant’s counterpart in the Confederacy.
Did You Know?
- It is estimated that from 752,000 to 851,000 soldiers died during the American Civil War, a figure that represents approximately 2 percent of the American population in 1860.
Photos and Videos
Related Topics and References
Topics
slaveryemancipationAfrican Americans9 Questions About the American Civil War AnsweredsecessionHow was Ulysses S. Grant involved in the Civil War?What Were Contraband Camps?150th Anniversary: Lee Surrenders to Grant
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Timeline
Key People

Ulysses S. Grant
president of United States

Robert E. Lee
Confederate general

James Buchanan
president of United States

Richard S. Ewell
Confederate general

Jesse Lee Reno
United States Army officer

Abraham Lincoln
president of United States

Andrew Johnson
president of United States

James A. Garfield
president of United States

George Armstrong Custer
United States military officer

Jefferson Davis
president of Confederate States of America

Robert Anderson
United States Army officer

Nathan Bedford Forrest
Confederate general

Stonewall Jackson
Confederate general

John C. Frémont
American explorer, military officer, and politician

William Tecumseh Sherman
United States general

John A. Logan
United States general and politician

Albert Sidney Johnston
Confederate general

Cyrus B. Comstock
Union army officer and engineer

Lewis Wallace
American author, soldier, and diplomat

Jubal A. Early
Confederate general