American Civil War

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was fought between the Union (North) and the Confederacy (South), primarily over slavery. Over 620,000 soldiers died — more than in all other American wars combined. President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation (1863) freed Confederate slaves and transformed the war's meaning. The Union victory preserved the country and abolished slavery through the 13th Amendment. The war's legacy continues to shape American politics. Reconstruction (1865–1877) attempted to integrate freed slaves into society; its violent suppression produced Jim Crow segregation lasting until the 1960s. Confederate monuments, the Confederate flag, and the 'Lost Cause' mythology remain contested. The war produced Lincoln's Gettysburg Address — 272 words that redefined American democracy.