| Timeline | Alternate |
| Writing Style | Objective and informative, as befits an encyclopedia entry |
| Topics Covered | Major historical event • Scientific breakthrough • Cultural phenomenon |
The American Civil War was a major armed conflict that took place in the United States from 1861 to 1865. It was fought between the northern United States and the secessionist Confederate States of America, a collection of southern slave states that broke away to form their own nation.
The war was precipitated by longstanding tensions between the North and South over the issues of slavery, states' rights, and the balance of power between the federal government and state governments. After the election of the anti-slavery Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln as President in 1860, the southern states declared their independence, fearing that Lincoln and the Republicans would move to abolish slavery and undermine their agricultural economy.
The war began when Confederate forces attacked the U.S. Army installation at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Over the next four years, the two sides engaged in a series of major battles and campaigns, with the industrialized and more populous Union ultimately prevailing. Key Union victories included the Siege of Atlanta, the March to the Sea through Georgia, and the decisive Appomattox Campaign that forced the Confederate surrender in 1865.
The war resulted in over 600,000 combat deaths, as well as immense destruction of property and infrastructure across the South. However, it also led to the abolition of slavery, the strengthening of the federal government, and the eventual reunification of the country. The Civil War is considered a major turning point in American history, shaping the modern United States and its institutions.
