The
Phrase "civil war" means a war that takes place within a
country, between citizens of that country. There are civil wars
happening today in different parts of the world, in different
countries around the world. The American Civil War was not the first
to happen in the world. England and other nations had already had them
and unfortunately these will not be the last one. Are we heading that
way?
In April 1861, the American Civil War began. It
lasted from 1861-1865, triggered by the election of Abraham Lincoln in
1860. Lincoln wanted to end slavery and keep the Union together.
The conflict between the North (the Yankees, Union
States) and the South (the Rebels, Confederate States) started because
of their different ways of living. The North wanted the South to give
up their farms, build factories, and abolish slavery. Congress treated
the slaves as personal property and would not take away rights of
ownership. Thus, America began the conflict that would tear a nation
apart.
Four long years later, the war that pitted brother
against brother was finally finished. In between, more than 620,000
Americans died, with disease killing twice as many as those in battle.
About 50,00 survivors returned home as amputees. More than 4 million
slaves gained their freedom.
The United States lost a president, was torn in
two, and was finally put back together again. Most of the battles took
place in the South and the recovery from the destruction took many
years.
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