The American Civil War began and in effect ended in April.
It was ignited on April 12, 1861, by the shelling of Fort Sumter, a federal garrison at the entrance to the harbour of Charleston, S.C., and for all intents and purposes it came to a close with the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse, Va., on April 9, 1865. Five days later, President Abraham Lincoln, who oversaw the war to preserve the Union, was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Called by some the last of the old-fashioned wars and by others the first of the modern wars, the Civil War pitted the secessionist Confederate States of America, 11 slaveholding, primarily cotton-producing southern states, against the more populous and industrialized northern states that remained with the Union. There were more than 1 million casualties in this titanic struggle that lasted from 1861 to 1865 but whose social, cultural, and economic ramifications still influence American life.
Prelude: A House Divided
The path to the Civil War can be traced to the emergence of abolitionism in the 18th century and to the Founding Fathers’ differing views on slavery. By 1804, all states north of Maryland had abolished slavery, but the “peculiar institution” remained at the heart of the southern economy. Sectional friction intensified with the Dred Scott Decision of 1857, which legalized slavery in all territories and sparked the growth of fledgling Republican Party. Slavery was also at the centre of the 1858 senatorial campaign in Illinois and the famous Lincoln-Douglas Debates. In his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination, Lincoln had presciently announced, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
The Civil War: An Overview
The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, but how did it begin? Who were the key contributors, and what led to the final surrender? You know how it changed a nation, but what really happened during this dynamic four year war? Walk through the events of the only war fought on American soil, by Americans.
Gods and Generals
More than two million soldiers fought the battles of the Civil War, but there were four key leaders who are now famous for their impact on the war’s outcome:
|
|
 |
Abraham Lincoln - 16th president of the United States, who preserved the Union throughout the war and brought about the emancipation of the slaves. |
 |
Robert E. Lee - Confederate general, the South’s most revered military leader. |
 |
Ulysses S. Grant - U.S. general, commander of the Union armies during the late years of the war (1864–65) and later 18th president of the United States (1869–77). |
 |
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson - Confederate general, who gained his sobriquet “Stonewall” for his stand at the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861. |
|
|
Battles
Test your knowledge: Union or Confederate? Which army came out ahead these conflicts?
|
|
|
Learn about the Holocaust with Britannica
Read Encyclopædia Britannica’s feature remembering one of history's darkest chapters; the Holocaust. This feature covers everything from the origins of the Holocaust in the mind of Adolf Hitler to the legacy of the horror in art and memory.
The feature includes extensive photographs and videos (warning: some of them are graphic), an extended bibliography, and discussion questions tied to each of the five parts and written especially for teachers and classroom use.
Explore it today 
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Civil War: Generals, Soldiers, and Women
There were many contributors during the Civil War, from famous generals, to boy soldiers and women abolitionists.
Acquired from Vast Video
View Video |
|
|
Civil War: Lee Surrenders
On April 9, 1865 General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
Acquired from Vast Video
View Video
|
|
|
Free Web Training for Britannica Online Subscribers!
See what's new with Britannica Online! Both Children's and Reference Librarians are invited to participate in a complimentary online Britannica training session! You do not even have to leave the library for this 1-hour live presentation where you will learn ways to help both children and adults find answers to their questions and get started on their projects using special Britannica Online features.
Presentations will be conducted at 11 a.m. Central Time on these upcoming dates:
- Thursday, April 17th
- Tuesday, May 13th
- Thursday, June 19th
- Tuesday, July 15th
Sign up now! Space is limited, and only current Britannica Online subscribers can attend.
You can invite others to join you for this presentation, especially if you can project the presentation onto a screen for them to see. Please submit only one registration per location for each date.
You will be surprised at how much there is to discover!
| |
|
A Nation In Treatment (Over Race)
by Mary Stuckey
Race, which is so much a part of the American subconscious, has been at this moment for a long time-we cannot continue to ignore it and still function as a nation. Whatever else his candidacy has done, if Barack Obama can... (read more)
The Britannica Blog is a place to share smart, lively conversations on just about any topic.
| |
|
Britannica’s Elementary Library Package
  |
|
Elementary librarians, get two great Britannica sets for one price, with Britannica’s Elementary Library Package. Included in this package are the Britannica Student Encyclopedia and My First Britannica.
Entertaining and informative, the new Britannica Student Encyclopedia helps elementary and middle school children gain a better understanding of their world. Created by Britannica’s editors, this 16-volume, A-Z encyclopedia makes knowledge easily accessible to all students in grades 3-6.
More than 2,250 captivating articles are the perfect resource for homework help, assignments, and satisfying the curiosity of young learners. Children are sure to immerse themselves in 2,700 photos, charts, and tables that help explain concepts and subjects, as well as 1,200 maps and flags from across the globe.
My First Britannica is an exciting 13-volume reference set for elementary students builds the foundation for a life-long journey of learning. My First Britannica encourages reading and helps form early research skills, while capturing the imagination with fact, fiction, and fable. Lively photography, artwork, and information on the topics children love. This set is a fantastic resource for elementary school students and ESL students.
Order the Britannica Student Encyclopedia and My First Britannica now for only $475 and get free S&H. Please mention the promotion code APRIL when ordering.
Call Britannica at 1-800-621-3900 or go online to www.eb.com to place your order now.
|
|
|
|
Great Britain paid more than $15 million in damages to the United States to settle the Alabama claims brought against Britain for building the cruiser Alabama for the Confederate States of America.
|
|
|
|
