History week 14.

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was a seismic conflict that reshaped the United States forever.

What Sparked the War?

1. Slavery was the central issue—specifically, whether it should expand into new western territories.
2. The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, who opposed slavery’s expansion, led seven Southern states to secede and form the Confederate States of America.
3. The war officially began when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861.
4. Major Events
5. Battle of Gettysburg (1863): Turning point in favor of the Union.
6. Emancipation Proclamation (1863): Lincoln declared enslaved people in Confederate states free.
7. Sherman’s March to the Sea (1864): Devastating campaign through Georgia.
8. Surrender at Appomattox (April 1865): General Lee surrendered to Grant, ending the war.
9. The Cost
10. Estimated 620,000–750,000 deaths, making it the deadliest conflict in U.S. history.
11. Massive destruction, especially in the South.
12. Deep social and political scars that lasted generations.
13. Aftermath
14. Slavery abolished via the 13th Amendment.
15. The U.S. emerged as a unified nation, but Reconstruction brought new challenges.
16. Racial tensions and civil rights struggles continued long after the war ended.