The American Civil War (1861-1865) was a conflict between the United States of America (USA) and the Confederate States of America (CSA) over the issue of slavery. The war resulted in the deaths of more than 600,000 Americans, the vast majority of whom were soldiers in the Union army.
Here are 10 things you may not know about the Civil War:
1. The first battle of the Civil War took place at Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861.
2. The Civil War was not fought just in the South. Battles also took place in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
3. The Battle of Gettysburg was the largest battle of the Civil War, with over 150,000 men engaged.
4. The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with over 23,000 men killed or wounded.
5. Abraham Lincoln was not originally from Illinois and had never lived in the North before becoming president.
6. Robert E. Lee was not originally from Virginia and had never lived in the South before becoming a Confederate general.
7. The Union army had more men than the Confederate army, but they were spread out over a much larger area. This made them vulnerable to attack by smaller Confederate armies.
8. The Confederacy had only about one-third as many soldiers as the Union army, but they were much better equipped and trained.
9. Most African Americans who served in the Civil War did so as cooks or laborers, rather than as soldiers.
10. The Civil War ended on April 9, 1865 with General Robert E Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. This marked the end of slavery in the United States. After this, America entered a period of Reconstruction.
The Civil War was one of the most important periods in American history and has had lasting impacts on our nation to this day. Understanding its causes and effects is essential for any student of American history.
