The American Civil War

What is a “Civil War”?

A civil war is a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country

When was the American Civil war fought?

The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, when the Confederate troops in South Carolina opened fire on Fort Sumter. The American Civil War ended on April 9, 1865, when Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union general Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

Who fought in the American Civil War?

The North, OR: Union Yankee Blue

The South, OR: Confederate Rebels Gray

Who fought for the North, and who fought for the South?

The North consisted of: Maine New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut Pennsylvania New Jersey Ohio Indiana Michigan Illinois Wisconsin Iowa Minnesota Kansas New York California Oregon

The South consisted of: Virginia North Carolina Tennessee Arkansas Texas Georgia Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Florida South Carolina

Border states, meaning states that had a stake in both sides winning the war, included: Delaware Maryland West Virginia Kentucky Missouri

What is the dividing line between the North and the South?

The common dividing line between the North and the South is the Mason-Dixon Line.  The Mason-Dixon Line was originally the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania in the United States. Together with the Ohio River, it was the dividing line between slave states south of it and free-soil states north of it.

South side of Elbow Lane, less than one mile west of route 896.

Who were the leaders of the two sides?

The Union was led by President Abraham Lincoln, and the Confederacy was led by President Jefferson Davis.

Famous Union generals included Ulysses S Famous Union generals included Ulysses S. Grant, George Meade, Irvin McDowell, William Sherman, George McClellan, George Pope, Joseph Hooker, and Ambrose Burnside.

Abraham Lincoln

Ulysses Simpson Grant

Ambrose Burnside

William Tecumseh Sherman

Joseph Hooker

Famous Confederate generals included Robert E Famous Confederate generals included Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Joseph Johnston, James Longstreet, J.E.B. Stuart, and George Pickett.

Jefferson Davis

Robert Edward Lee

George Edward Pickett

James Ewell Brown Stuart

Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson

How many men fought, and died, in the American Civil War?

Approx. 2,160,000 soldiers fought on behalf of the Union army Approx. 780,000 soldiers fought on behalf of the Confederate army

In all, approx. 620,000 Americans died during the war

About as many American deaths as the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam COMBINED Approx. 360,000 Union (1/6) Approx. 260,000 Confederate (1/3)

Total Casualties were approx Total Casualties were approx. 1,100,000 – Combined battle deaths, disease, wounded, missing in action, and taken prisoner.

Modern Civil Wars Civil Wars are not unique to the US. Currently there are major civil wars raging in parts of India, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan, Mexico, Israel/Palestine, Yemen, and in Sudan. In Somalia alone, the conflict has lasted more than 19 years and has resulted in over 400,000 deaths.

Why was the American Civil War fought?

Reasons for the war included, but were not limited to: State’s Rights Cultural Differences Slavery Economic Issues and Tariffs

Sectionalism In a political context, sectionalism is loyalty to the interests of one's own region or section of the country, rather than the nation as a whole. an exaggerated devotion to the interests of a region