American Civil War (12 abr 1861 año – 9 abr 1865 año)

Descripción:

A war fought between the US government (known as the Union) and the rebel states in the South (known as the Confederacy).

The war started because of several reasons. The South was vastly different from the North and West, and relied almost exclusively on slave labor. They feared the Republican North's repeated attempts to restrain slavery infringed upon their states' rights, as well as their way of life. There was also racism involved, as many white Southerners disliked the idea of blacks being integrated into society. The final straw was the Election of 1860, which saw the rise to power of a man Southerners feared would do everything they were afraid of.

Seven states (SC, MS, FL, GA, LA, TX) broke away from the Union, claiming they had the right to do so. Lincoln disagreed, but made no move to reign them in, allowing them to capture Union forts and office buildings. After failed attempts at diplomacy due to the Union not recognizing the Confederacy as independent, the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter to remove Union presence from the South. The majority of Confederates supported the war, and after the attack the states of VA, AR, TN, and NC joined the Confederacy. The Confederate capital was placed in Richmond, VA with Jefferson Davis as president. The border states of MO, KY, MD, and DE supported slavery, but remained loyal to the Union. MD especially was important, as it surrounded Washington DC. Additionally, the pro-Union WV seceded from VA and became a border state.

The Union had more people, more money, were more industrialized, and had recognition of foreign countries. The Confederacy had better generals, the advantage of fighting a defensive war, and stronger motivation. The latter's advantages would secure the Confederate victories early in the war, such as in the Battles of Bull Run. By 1862, General Lee began invading the Union, such as in the Battle of Antietam.

The Union's strategy was the Anaconda Plan: surround the Confederacy on all sides so it could not export or import goods, crushing its economy. The Confederacy seeked help from other countries, but received minimal support. In response, they refused to sell cotton to Great Britain and France, who simply got it from their colonies (eg Brazil, India, Egypt). As part of their plan, the Union planned to control the Mississippi River to cut the Conferacy in two. They proceeded from New Orleans, LA upward, capturing the river.

The war climaxed at Gettysburg, the deadliest battle in the country's history. Meanwhile, small-scale fighting happened in the West. Lee was cornered by Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in 1865 and eventually surrendered. The war ended quickly after, starting the Reconstruction Era.

Important People:
Union President Abraham Lincoln
Union Commanding General Ulysses S. Grant
Union General William T. Sherman
Union General George McClellan
Union General George Meade

Confederate President Jefferson Davis
Confed. Commanding General Robert E. Lee
Confed. General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson

Casualties:
365,000 Union troops
290,000 Confederate troops

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