Parties Involved in the American Civil War
- War was fought between the Union (North) and the Confederacy (South).
Causes of the American Civil War
- Slavery: The main issue was the southern states wanted to expand slavery, while the north opposed it.
- States’ Rights vs. Federal Authority: Southern states argued for more autonomy, while the North wanted a stronger federal government.
- Economic Differences: The north was industrialized, while the south relied on slave-based agriculture.
- Election of Abraham Lincoln (1860): Lincoln opposed the expansion of slavery, leading the South to secede.
Key Figures
- Union (North):
- Abraham Lincoln: U.S. President, led the Union, and issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
- Ulysses S. Grant: Union general, later the 18th U.S. President.
- William Tecumseh Sherman: Led the destructive “March to the Sea.”
- Confederacy (South):
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- Jefferson Davis: President of the Confederacy.
- Robert E. Lee: Commander of the Confederate Army.
- Stonewall Jackson: A famous Confederate general, died in battle.
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Results and Impact
- Casualties: Estimated 620,000 to 750,000 deaths, making it the deadliest U.S. conflict.
- Abolition of Slavery: The 13th Amendment (1865) ended slavery in the U.S.
- Reconstruction Era (1865–1877): The South was rebuilt, but racial tensions remained.
- Strengthened Federal Government: The Union was preserved, with stronger national authority.