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105 Civil War Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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The Civil War was a defining moment in American history, shaping the nation we know today. With its profound impact on politics, society, and the economy, it remains a fascinating subject for academic research and essay writing. If you're looking for inspiration for your next Civil War essay, we've compiled a list of 105 topic ideas and examples to get you started.

• The Causes of the American Civil War: Analyzing the underlying factors that led to the conflict.
• Abraham Lincoln's Role in the Civil War: Assessing Lincoln's leadership and decision-making during the war.
• The Impact of the Emancipation Proclamation: Examining the significance of Lincoln's proclamation on slavery.
• The Role of Women in the Civil War: Exploring the contributions and challenges faced by women during the war.
• African Americans in the Civil War: Evaluating the experiences of African American soldiers and their impact on the war effort.
• The Battle of Gettysburg: Analyzing the significance and consequences of this pivotal battle.
• The Military Strategies of the Civil War: Comparing and contrasting the strategies employed by the Union and Confederate armies.
• The Role of Technology in the Civil War: Investigating the impact of new technologies, such as railroads and telegraphs, on the war.
• The Role of Foreign Powers in the Civil War: Examining the involvement of European powers and their influence on the conflict.
• The Economic Consequences of the Civil War: Assessing the long-term economic effects of the war on the United States.
• The Role of Religion in the Civil War: Exploring the influence of religious beliefs and institutions on the conflict.
• Espionage and Intelligence in the Civil War: Investigating the use of spies and intelligence-gathering during the war.
• The Impact of Photography on the Civil War: Analyzing the role of photography in shaping public perception of the war.
• The Home Front during the Civil War: Examining the experiences and challenges faced by civilians during the war.
• The Battle of Antietam: Assessing the significance of this bloody battle and its impact on the war.
• The Role of Guerrilla Warfare in the Civil War: Exploring the tactics employed by irregular forces during the conflict.
• The Role of Native Americans in the Civil War: Investigating the participation and experiences of Native American tribes during the war.
• The Role of Religion in the Confederate States: Analyzing the influence of religion on the Confederate cause.
• The Impact of Disease on the Civil War: Examining the role of diseases, such as dysentery and smallpox, in the war's outcome.
• The Battle of Bull Run: Assessing the significance of the first major battle of the Civil War.
• The Aftermath of the Civil War: Analyzing the political, social, and economic consequences of the war's end.
• The Role of Abraham Lincoln's Assassination in Shaping Reconstruction: Exploring how Lincoln's assassination affected the post-war period.
• The Role of Slavery in the Southern Economy: Investigating the economic dependence on slavery in the Confederate states.
• The Impact of Sherman's March to the Sea: Assessing the consequences of General Sherman's devastating campaign.
• The Confederate Constitution: Analyzing the similarities and differences between the Confederate and United States constitutions.
• The Role of Women as Spies during the Civil War: Investigating the contributions of female spies to the war effort.
• The Role of Border States in the Civil War: Exploring the challenges faced by states that remained loyal to the Union but allowed slavery.
• The Battle of Vicksburg: Assessing the significance of this Union victory in the Western Theater.
• The Political Leadership of Jefferson Davis: Analyzing Davis's presidency and its impact on the Confederate cause.
• The Role of Railroads in the Civil War: Investigating the importance of rail transportation for both the Union and Confederate armies.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Native American Tribes: Examining the consequences of the war for Native American lands and tribes.
• The Battle of Shiloh: Assessing the significance of this bloody battle in Tennessee.
• The Role of Civil War Prisons: Analyzing the conditions and treatment of prisoners on both sides of the conflict.
• The Role of Politics in the Union Army: Investigating the influence of politics on military appointments and operations.
• The Impact of the Civil War on American Literature: Examining how the war shaped the literary works of the time.
• The Battle of Chancellorsville: Assessing the significance of this Confederate victory and the death of General Stonewall Jackson.
• The Confederate Navy: Analyzing the role and effectiveness of the Confederate Navy in the war.
• The Role of Women as Nurses during the Civil War: Investigating the contributions and challenges faced by women in the nursing profession.
• The Impact of Draft Riots during the Civil War: Examining the social unrest and violence caused by the draft.
• The Battle of Fredericksburg: Assessing the significance of this Union defeat and its impact on the war.
• The Reconstruction Era: Analyzing the challenges and successes of the Reconstruction period after the war.
• The Role of Foreign Diplomacy during the Civil War: Investigating the attempts by both the Union and Confederacy to gain international support.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Native American Identity: Examining how the war affected Native American cultural and social traditions.
• The Battle of Chickamauga: Assessing the significance of this Confederate victory in Georgia.
• The Role of Medical Advancements during the Civil War: Analyzing the impact of new medical techniques and knowledge on the war's outcome.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Westward Expansion: Investigating how the war influenced the settlement of the Western frontier.
• The Battle of Cold Harbor: Assessing the significance of this Union defeat in Virginia.
• The Role of African American Women during the Civil War: Exploring the contributions and experiences of African American women in the war effort.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Native American Treaties: Examining how the war affected Native American land rights and treaties.
• The Battle of Stones River: Assessing the significance of this Union victory in Tennessee.
• The Role of Propaganda during the Civil War: Analyzing the use of propaganda and media manipulation by both sides of the conflict.
• The Impact of the Civil War on Immigration: Investigating how the war influenced immigration patterns and attitudes toward immigrants.
• The Battle of Fort Donelson: Assessing the significance of this Union victory in Tennessee.
• The Role of the Telegraph in the Civil War: Analyzing the impact of telegraph communication on military operations and command.
• The Impact of the Civil War on the U.S. Constitution: Examining how the war shaped constitutional interpretation and amendments.
• The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House: Assessing the significance of this Confederate victory in Virginia.
• The Role of African American Soldiers in the Civil War: Investigating the experiences and contributions of black soldiers in the Union Army.
• The Impact of Civil War Monuments and Memorials: Analyzing the controversy surrounding Confederate monuments and their place in public memory.
• The Battle of Fort Sumter: Assessing the significance of the first shots fired in the Civil War.
• The Role of Military Prisons during the Civil War: Investigating the conditions and treatment of prisoners in camps such as Andersonville and Elmira.
• The Impact of Civil War Photography on Public Opinion: Examining how photographs of the war influenced public perception and support.
• The Role of Propaganda during the Civil War: Analy

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70 Civil War Essay Topics

Table of Contents

A history essay paper that focuses on civil war or any other topic that surrounds it can be hard for a student to write. For a starter, history requires adherence to detail. Besides, it is common for students not to remember the correct format needed when writing. Before you handle any essay, you must be sure of how to write it. Also, a good essay requires excellent thinking and writing skills. Now, if you lack one of these, then you might find challenges when drafting your paper. The good thing today is that we can help. We are an online custom writing company that handles academic challenges for students. From us, you will always get an expert to work on your essay, even if it touches on civil war.

No Idea How to Select the Best Civil War Essay Topic? Check out!

Once you get the right topic, the writing becomes seamless. Doing research is the first step to draft an excellent paper. After, you will have to break down all your findings to create good topics. With this, you won’t find challenges drafting our paperwork. You can also delve further into the subtopics and get more options to pick from. As such, you get more information to capture in your essay. Remember, the more data you have, the easier it will be to choose a topic that you understand.

When you only come across hard topics, you can choose the one with the most available content. Always be relevant and original when drafting your documents. Also, consider the person whom you want to address and their interests as well.

Here Is a List of Civil War Essay Topics for Your Consideration

Choosing the right topic is the first step towards writing an eye-catching essay. With our service, you can get all that at whatever time you need. Here, we have some of the best examples of the same to help you get started. They are:

• Slaves in America in comparison to their counterparts in England
• The reasons for the start of the American civil war
• The factors that fueled the American civil war
• The civil war and its effect on America’s socio-political structure
• Effects of the civil war on the American political landscape
• Differences in slave activities in North and South America before the civil war
• The reasons why the civil war was one of the most honorable war
• Effects of the civil war on the internal relations of North and South America
• Native Americans and the civil war
• Functions of women in the civil war
• Functions of the Confederate and Union spies
• Major causes of the civil war in America
• Battles fought in the American civil war
• Consequences faced by the pioneers of the civil war
• Strategies used during the civil war
• Impacts of the Bleeding Kansas crisis on slavery
• Role of Britain in the civil war
• The participants in the American civil war
• The importance of Lincoln in the Union during the civil war
• Damages encountered during the civil war
• Qualities that made North America win the civil war
• Effects of slavery in America
• Major challenges faced during the civil war
• Measures used to end the civil war
• The influence on the society that led to the civil war
• Campaign strategies used by the South during the civil war
• Causes for the end of the American civil war
• The start and fall of the civil war
• Impact of civil war on the outside world
• Remarkable events during the civil war

10 Civil War Essay Topics for College

• What was slavery like in the United States at the time of the civil war?
• How does it compare to other countries?
• Discuss the roles of men and women during the war.
• What was the cause of the civil war? Is there more than one?
• What were the results of the war? Were they positive or negative? Explain.
• Discuss the presidency of Lincoln during the war and its role.
• What was Britain’s role in the war?
• Analyze the strategies used in different battles during the civil war.
• Compare and contrast both the confederates and the federalists during the war.
• How was the United States viewed from an outsider’s perspective?

Civil War Argumentative Essay Topics

• The Role of Slavery in Causing the American Civil War: Assessing the primary factor behind the conflict.
• Economic Factors and the Civil War: Analyzing the economic disparities between the North and the South and their impact on the war.
• States’ Rights vs. Federal Authority: Examining the tension between states’ rights and the power of the federal government during the Civil War.
• The Emancipation Proclamation: Evaluating the significance and impact of President Lincoln’s executive order.
• Military Strategy and Leadership: Comparing the military strategies and leadership styles of the Union and the Confederacy.
• The Role of Women in the Civil War: Discussing the contributions and challenges faced by women during the conflict.
• Reconstruction Era: Assessing the successes and failures of the post-war Reconstruction period .
• African American Soldiers in the Civil War: Examining the experiences and contributions of African American soldiers in the war.
• The Border States: Exploring the complex dynamics and political allegiances of the border states during the Civil War.
• Legacy of the Civil War: Analyzing the long-term impact and significance of the Civil War on American society and culture.

Pre Civil War Essay Topics

• The Missouri Compromise: Analyzing the motivations behind the Compromise and its impact on the nation’s sectional tensions.
• Manifest Destiny and its Influence on the Road to Civil War: Discussing how the belief in westward expansion intensified conflicts between the North and South.
• The Abolitionist Movement: Examining the rise of abolitionist sentiment and its role in shaping the pre-Civil War era.
• The Compromise of 1850: Assessing the effectiveness and consequences of the Compromise in addressing sectional disputes.
• Dred Scott v. Sandford: Analyzing the Supreme Court decision and its impact on the nation’s divisions over slavery.
• John Brown and the Harpers Ferry Raid: Discussing the significance of Brown’s actions and their role in escalating tensions between the North and South.
• The Kansas-Nebraska Act: Examining the political and social consequences of popular sovereignty and the resulting conflicts in Kansas.
• The Fugitive Slave Act: Assessing the controversial law’s impact on the nation and its contribution to the growing divide between the North and South.
• The Rise of Secessionist Sentiment: Discussing the factors that fueled secessionist movements leading up to the Civil War.
• Sectionalism and its Role in the Pre-Civil War Era: Analyzing the growing regional divisions and their influence on national politics and policies.

Civil War Essay Medical Topics

• Medical Advancements during the Civil War: Investigating the innovations and medical practices that emerged as a result of the war.
• Civil War Battlefield Medicine: Analyzing the challenges faced by medical personnel on the battlefield and their efforts to treat wounded soldiers.
• Disease and Epidemics during the Civil War: Examining the prevalence and impact of diseases such as dysentery, typhoid, and malaria on soldiers and civilians.
• Civil War Surgeons: Discussing the training, skills, and experiences of Civil War surgeons and their contributions to medical knowledge.
• Anesthesia and Pain Management in Civil War Medicine: Exploring the development and use of anesthesia techniques to alleviate pain during surgeries.
• Amputation and Prosthetics in the Civil War: Assessing the high rates of amputations during the war and the advancements in prosthetics that followed.
• Nursing during the Civil War: Analyzing the role of nurses, including Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix, in providing care to wounded soldiers.
• Psychological Trauma and Mental Health during the Civil War: Discussing the psychological effects of war on soldiers and the limited understanding of mental health at the time.
• Medical Care for Prisoners of War: Examining the medical treatment provided to prisoners of war and the challenges faced in providing adequate care.
• Medical Innovations and Lessons Learned from the Civil War: Investigating the long-term impact of medical advancements made during the Civil War on subsequent medical practices and conflicts.

Fun Civil War Essay Topics

• “Battles and Breakfast: Unconventional Food Stories from the Civil War”
• “Love and Letters: Romance in the Civil War Era”
• “Ink and Iron: The Role of Journalism in the Civil War”
• “Civil War Fashion Frenzy: From Hoop Skirts to Union Uniforms”
• “Haunted History: Ghost Stories and Legends of the Civil War”
• “The Art of War: Famous Civil War Paintings and Photographs”
• “Music, Melodies, and Marching: The Soundtrack of the Civil War”
• “Spies, Codes, and Deception: Secrets of the Civil War”
• “The Civil War in Pop Culture: How Movies and TV Shape Our Understanding”
• “Oddities and Curiosities: Strange Tales and Bizarre Artifacts from the Civil War”

Civil War Essay Questions That Will Help You Pick the Right Topic

When you are undecided about the type of topic, you can write down some questions to start you off. This is in relation to the topic at hand. Doing so helps to gauge your understanding. Besides, you will know the areas that you are good at. Here, we have five questions to boost your thinking. They are:

• Between the South and the North, which side benefited more from the war?
• What led to the Emancipation Proclamation?
• Was there any compensation for the slaves after the civil war?
• Where did the civil war take place?
• How did the civil war end ?
• What changed when the civil war came to an end?
• Why did the civil war take long before it ended?
• Why did the Union win the civil war?
• How was the civil war organized and executed?
• Who pioneered the civil war?

Civil War Essay Ideas: Quality only solutions

For any student to submit a quality essay paper, you must know the ideas to include in your work. Remember, all questions and topics were ideas in the first place. This means that you cannot come up with a topic for your essay without having an idea or two. We have indicated five ideas for you to consider when thinking of civil war topics or questions. They are:

• States that took part in the civil war;
• The Influence of racism in the American slave trade;
• Political influence on the civil war;
• Use of technology during the civil war;
• Intervention by human rights in the civil war .

Available Expert Essay Paper Help Online

Sometimes, it can be hard for students to come up with a great topic for their essays. When you hire us, you are sure of quality services. Besides, we will work on your essay as we give you time to handle other commitments. Rely on us for top-notch civil war paper writing solutions online. As such, we will help you pick the best topic and deliver an excellent essay on time written by our professional essay writer .

American Civil War - List of Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

The American Civil War, waged from 1861 to 1865, was a seminal event in the United States’ history that stemmed from long-standing regional differences and disputes over slavery. Essays could delve into the political, economic, and social factors that led to the conflict, exploring the disputes between the North and the South regarding states’ rights, slavery, and economic policies. The discourse might extend to the significant battles, military strategies, and the leadership on both sides of the conflict. Discussions could also focus on the Emancipation Proclamation and its implications on the war and the broader struggle for civil rights. Moreover, essays could explore the reconstruction era that followed the war, examining the efforts to reunite the nation, address the legacies of slavery, and establish civil rights for freed slaves. The enduring impact of the American Civil War on the national identity, racial relations, and historical narrative could provide a captivating exploration of this pivotal period in American history. A vast selection of complimentary essay illustrations pertaining to American Civil War you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Nationalism in the Civil War

Introduction The Civil war of 1861-1865 is a central event in America's historical conscience. The war determined what kind of nation America would grow to be. The war resolved two fundamental questions left unresolved by the revolution (1773-1776): whether the United States was to be a dissolvable confederation of sovereign states or an indivisible nation with a sovereign national government; and whether this nation, born of a declaration that all men were created with an equal right to liberty, would […]

Civil War was the Westward

Many historians argue that the catalyst for the civil war was the westward expansion of slavery. In 1845, after the United States annexed it the year before, Texas officially became a state- a slave state. The addition of a slave state allowed the Lone Star Republic into the Union. As a result of Texas becoming a state, the Mexican-American War broke out. After the war, the United States bought a massive amount of land from Mexico. The land later became […]

African Americans Made up

During the 1800's in America, African Americans made up most of the population. The Southern states were inundated with slaves. They labored in farms and on plantations. African Americans received cruel treament. They were brutally beaten and looked upon as being inhumane. The issue of equal rights for African Americans caused great disparities between the states. Our new country found itself at war with one another. This was a war of the North versus the South. The Civil War for […]

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The Civil War was the Deadliest

The Civil War was the deadliest and most brutal war ever fought. How did everything stir up between the states in the first place? Southerners had an Agricultural economy and mainly focused on the way they lived their lives to make profit for their well being; this included slaves for more hands to get more work done in less time. On the opposite side of things the northerners had an Industrial economy and wanted to abolish slavery. The north and […]

Many Causes of the Civil War

During the 1860s, the North and South of the United States had many disputes and conflicts. The South succeeded from the North, eventually leading to the civil war. The Civil War was the most destructive war ever fought in the western hemisphere and lasted from 1861 to 1865. The Civil War led to the end of the Confederacy and helped America to grow economically and socially as a nation. Today, America faces an issue with immigrants and their policies on […]

The Battle of Gettysburg Changed Everything

The Battle of Gettysburg changed everything for the Union. During the Civil War, America was fighting against each other, so there were two sides. The Confederates were mainly from the south and the Union was from the north. The concerning issue involved the North wanting slaves to be free while the south wanted to keep slaves. This conflict started the Civil War and up until the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederates were striving. The south was winning every battle, so […]

The Civil War was a War Fought

The Civil War was a war fought between the states. It was fought between the Union and the Confederate States of America. Civil War spies played a major part in how the Confederate (North) won the Civil War (History.com Editors). Spies let generals know when they should attack, where, and whether they should withdraw or not (Mark). The armies of America had been tracked by spies during the Civil War. The spies gathered information on them and in return would […]

The Civil War is Perhaps

The civil war is perhaps the most studied time period in American history. Though the war was only four years, it would alter the course of history and change American culture forever. Among the changes caused by the war, the most prominent were the social and economic changes and the largest being slavery. The country was divided in many ways and all contributed to the start of the war. Most people would say that the war was solely dependent on […]

One of the most Important Events

The Civil War is one of the most important events in the history of the United States of America. It had many important repercussions which went on to have a deep and long lasting impact on the nation. After four years of a cruel battle, from 1861-1865, between a divided nation of the North and South, more than 600,000 people were killed. These lives, however, were not given in vain. Had it not been for the American Civil War where […]

Role of Technology in the American Civil War

The American Civil War is the first real modern war in America. Most of the technology and weaponry used in the Civil War can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution era. The Industrial Revolution was a time of profound transformation that resulted in new manufacturing processes. It was a time of profound transformation that resulted in new manufacturing processes. By the mid-19th century, mass production industries have been developed mainly in the North, which led them to control a […]

The Civil War Ended

The Civil War ended up being a turning point for many women. Women were required to remain at home to cook, clean and take care of their families, while their spouses went to the front line. Even though, women were prohibited from battling in the war, regardless they had critical roles to satisfy. Various women went up against the roles of medical caretakers, spies, promoters of ladies' suffrage, a supporter of social equality, and so forth. But a few women […]

Abraham Lincoln Presidancy

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky. At the early age of 7 he and his family moved to Southern Indiana. When he was nine years old his mother passed, and he had to work to help support his family. He had very limited formal schooling because he was working, though he had very little education, he loved to read books and would borrow books from his neighbors. At age 21, Lincoln and his family […]

The American Civil War

The American Civil War was a battle between the South and the North after a number of states in the south seceded after Lincoln's Presidency. The battle started off as states rights but as the battle went on and advanced the battle was fighting to end slavery. Nobody had any idea that this battle would eventually turn into the deadliest battle in American history. This battle cost many people their lives on the battlefield and beyond. Also, it cost a […]

The Civil War is Considered

The Civil War is considered the bloodiest and deadliest wars in the history of the United States. It began in April 1861 when Confederates opened fire on the Union soldiers at Fort Sumter. The war would go on to last four more long years until May 1865. According to American Battlefield Trust, about 2% of the population, or estimated 620,000 men, were lost in the line of duty. As the battle began, there was a shortage of war time labor […]

Civil War and Abraham Lincoln

Thesis: To what extent did Abraham Lincoln’s election influence the outcomes of the Civil War? Introduction: Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States in November of 1860 before the start of the Civil War and continued as president during the War. He sought to unify the nation, to create a better country and to abolish slavery. Abraham Lincoln described the reality that you can’t avoid destiny so you must prepare yourself for it. “You cannot escape […]

The Civil War was Aged

The Civil war was aged on by many reasons on both sides and leaders from both ends in a disagreement with how the United States of America should be govern. With the leaders and war generals making big decisions and the people of the north and the south both raging their opinions with words and with guns. The war was all about the morality of having slaves, African Americans, work for little money and have no rights. And there were […]

Longstreet First Fought

James Longstreet was a government official, a U.S Army officer, and a famous lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was one of Robert E. Lee's most trusted generals and known as "Lee's War Horse." James Longstreet was born on January 8, 1821, in Edgefield District, South Carolina to James and Mary Anne Dent Longstreet. He was the son of a prosperous farmer and mostly raised in Augusta, Georgia and Somerville, Alabama. While he was in […]

The Civil War is Central

The Civil war is central to the history of the United States of America and as part of the historical events that define the American experience, it is vastly represented in several historical movies . Indeed, while 1776-1783 revolution created the US, the Civil war of 1861-1865 is said to be the determinant of what kind of nation America would be in the world . By nature, cinematic historical representations of past events are common and loved by Americans and […]

Post Civil War: Economic Factors Shape Democracy in America

Life differed for everyone after the Civil War ended—farmers, Southerners, former slaves, and more—because America was rebuilding itself in more ways than one. Former slaves were set free upon the end of the war, and they believed that their years of unpaid labor gave them a claim to land and ""forty acres and a mule"" became their rallying cry. Whites were not willing to give their property to previous slaves, and the federal government chose not to redistribute land in […]

American Civil War wasn’t Inevitable

The Civil War was and is one of the most outstanding events in the history of the United States. It was a military conflict that occurred in the United States, between 1861 and 1865 (when Abraham Lincoln is elected president). Where the North States fought against the Confederate States of America, composed of the countries of the South, which were just conforming. The struggle took place because the States of the South wanted their independence, while those of the North […]

The Role of Women in the Civil War

The bloodiest conflict in history of North America was not between other countries, like one would might imagine, it was in fact the economics of slavery and political control of that system that was central to the clash between the North and Southern states. The Northern states was committed to ending the practice of slavery. However, the Southern states wished to introduce slavery into the western territories. During this time of conflict over the issue of slavery, Abraham Lincoln won […]

Americans Think of African-Americans

When Americans think of African-Americans in the deep south before the Civil War, the first image that comes to mind is one of slavery. However, many African-Americans secured their freedom and lived in a state of semi-freedom even before slavery was abolished by war. Free blacks lived in all parts of the United States, but the majority lived amongst slavery in the south. Freed Blacks continued to be treated as less than a citizen than their white counterparts because the […]

America’s Role in the World after the Civil War

As the civil war came to an end Americas southern territory was in a horrible economic place it was, looted burned, and destroyed by the unions strength to defeat the confederacy. America saw this as a time to reconstruct morally, socially, and economically. During post-war northern Americas industries soared with the help of tariffs passed during war time. It helped corporations like steel and oil to grow and create better technology and mechanics. The growth of industries in America made […]

Outbreak of the US Civil War

The mid-19th Century was not the happiest time in America. Slavery was still very much a thing in the South; the Mexican-American War had devastated the West, tribes of Native Americans were coming into conflict with the Army on the regular, while tensions between the North and South were at an all-time high. All these factors, as well as so many others, would eventually lead to the outbreak of the US Civil War, the bloodiest war in the history of […]

Civil War and Slavery

The U.S. Civil War began on April 12, 1861 in Fort Sumter, South Carolina. There were several events that led up to this battle. Three major causes of the U.S. Civil War include slavery, states’ rights, and the abolitionist movement. The future of slavery created a consuming issue that prompted the disturbance of the union. That question prompted withdrawal, and severance achieved a war in which the Northern and Western states and regions battled to safeguard the Union, and the […]

Civil War was not about Slavery

Some people that experienced the Civil War and some who did not experience it like to say that the Civil War was not about slavery, but instead about defending rights that states had. President Lincoln even tried to offer a deal to the southern states saying if they returned to the union they could keep their slaves, but they denied his offer. The Civil War was started when Fort Sumter was attacked by the confederates. In return to this, Lincoln had […]

Slavery is an Established Social Institution

Slavery is an established social institution in which God did not condemn, is what Thomas Dew believed, whereas Thomas Jefferson believed the opposite; he said that slavery was a moral evil. This was one of the reasons that had started the American Civil War. Although the slave trade was abolished in 1808, slavery on plantations was still practiced in about 15 southern states, from Texas to the Carolinas. With the south having the ideal weather conditions to support cotton plantations […]

Confederate Soldiers Vs. Union Soldiers: Disentangling Motivations on the Battlefield during the American Civil War

The tumultuous era of the American Civil War witnessed a clash of ideologies, with Confederate and Union soldiers donning uniforms that represented more than just military allegiance. The motivations that propelled these men to the battlefield were as diverse as the nation they fought for. As we delve into the intricacies of why Confederate and Union soldiers fought, we uncover a mosaic of personal, societal, and political factors that converged on the bloody fields of conflict. At the heart of […]

Compare and Contrast the American Revolution and the Civil War Essay: the Dual Pillars of American Freedom

In American history, the American Revolution and the Civil War are two major events with lasting effects. Two chapters, separated in time but linked in subject, depict the rise of a nascent nation battling for freedom, justice, and nationhood. While they share freedom as a purpose, their causes, settings, and legacies differ, creating a vibrant tapestry of contrasts. The Quest for Freedom Both the American Revolution and the Civil War fought for freedom. Liberty, as a rallying cry, links these […]

Why was the Battle of Gettysburg a Turning Point in the Civil War

Wars Throughout History Throughout the ages of many, there have been many wars that have graced planet Earth. The Punic wars, a few hundred years before the birth of Christ, saw more than one million people deaths between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian Empire over a hundred-year span. The French Wars on Religion during the mid-1500s saw more than two million people die for the sake of their religion. And the Seven Years’ War between Great Britain and France, […]

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20 Interesting Topics & Writing Tips for Your Civil War Essay

Are you a student specializing in the history field? Well, there is no doubt you will have to write several essays revolving around civil war, politics, and history in general. Now, imagine you have a civil war essay topic you need to research and bring forth a meaningful context in the form of an essay. How will you start? What elements will you include in the paper? And how will you determine the best topic? Well, keep reading as we will share some of the best civil war essay prompts, perfect tips, and the overall approach you should take when writing such an essay.

The essay on Civil War: what are the pro tips?

While all essays may have a similar approach, there is a slight distinction in presenting ideas and facts, the language you use, and such elements. So, in the case of a civil war essay, you can use the tips below to bring out an incredible and admirable paper.

• Cite the right sources correctly

Of course, when writing a civil war essay, you will use different resources available in books or online platforms. This isn’t your information, so ensure you cite it appropriately. Also, don’t use any source; ensure you can determine the source is credible and correct since some sources can have false information about historic events.

• Write the best civil war essay introduction

The introduction part plays a significant role in your entire paper. It is the first section where the reader will interact with your paper. So, so don’t want to create a boring scenario in the introduction section. In this case, use a hook, then background information, and finally a thesis statement.

• Start with a civil war essay outline

An outline will give a roadmap to each section of your essay. Be sure to start with an outline to ensure you don’t forget relevant information in each section of the paper.

• Check the civil war essay example in advance

You don’t want to get stuck in the middle of writing your essay. When in doubt, be sure to clear all the doubts by checking other sample essays on the same topic to get a clue of what to write and how to put down your points.

• The civil war essay conclusion matters

How you end your essay on civil war has a higher significance to your whole paper. You will have to revisit the thesis statement, summarize the main points in the paragraphs, present the analysis from your research, and what people can learn from the whole matter.

• Always understand the instructions

You can have great points, ideas, and a well-structured civil war essay. However, if you miss any of the guidelines, you will get a low grade when you should have scored higher. So, avoid this by understanding the basic instructions carefully!

Civil War project topics: best topics to consider

As far as an essay on civil war is concerned, the topic you choose has a crucial role in the outlook of your essay. Below are some of the topic ideas you can consider.

Best Civil War essay topics

• What happened after the American Civil War?
• Why did the reconstruction fail after the civil war?
• What are the main causes of the Civil War?
• Describe strategies used in the American Civil War.
• Politically, what happened after Sri Lanka Civil War?
• Describe the 1991 Sierra Leone Civil war

American Civil War essay topics

• How did the civil war impact America today?
• Describe the Fort Pillow Massacre happening
• Industrialization in America after the civil war
• Did the U.S.A progress after unleashing a conflict that led to civil war?
• Analyze economic differences between Northern and southern states
• How does the American government perceive the civil war legacy?
• Analyze civil war and slavery in America

Essay topics on the Civil War

• What was the role of John Brown during the onset of the civil war?
• Describe the role of Fort Sumter in the civil war
• Analyze the early periods of the American civil war
• Based on historical events, how can we prevent civil war?
• Why did the American civil war last longer?
• Compare the American civil war and American Revolution
• What is the effect of the civil war on women’s efforts in America?

Essay writing is an art, and the best approach is to understand the topic and the subject as a whole before you start writing.

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Pioneering Perspectives: Navigating Civil War Topics for Your Research Paper

Table of content

The Allure of the Past

The fascinating domain of history beckons with tales of epic battles, transformative revolutions, and pivotal social changes. When you’re immersing yourself in the study of the past, few eras are as captivating as the American Civil War. Using the lens of “Civil War topics for research paper”, you can dissect an intricate period that indelibly sculpted the contours of modern-day United States. This tumultuous era, punctuated by fierce debates over slavery and states’ rights, coupled with landmark battles that decisively altered the war’s trajectory, offers a veritable treasure trove of enthralling topics for your research paper.

Strategy in Selection: The Crucial Choice of a Topic

In the theatre of academic research, selecting an engaging topic is akin to devising a winning battle strategy. A well-chosen topic ignites your curiosity, fuels your research, and ultimately shapes the architecture of your final paper. Remember, your quest is to unearth a topic that not only adheres to the guidelines of your assignment but also resonates with your interests, thereby transforming a scholarly pursuit into an intellectual adventure.

The Portal to the Past: Historical Research and the Civil War

Engaging in historical research is the equivalent of launching a thrilling expedition through the corridors of time. It empowers you to scrutinize the Civil War through a multifaceted political, economic, social, and cultural prism. This exploration into the annals of history enriches your comprehension of the epoch, sharpens your analytical prowess, and strengthens your ability to construct persuasive arguments steeped in well-sourced information.

Diving Into the Depths: Civil War Topics for Your Research Paper

Now, let’s plunge into the heart of our discourse – a roster of intriguing Civil War topics that could grace your research paper:

• Slavery: The Tinderbox of the Civil War
• Economic Dichotomies: The North versus the South
• Emancipation Proclamation: The Clarion Call for Freedom
• The Battle of Gettysburg: A Crucible of Conflict
• Women of War: The Feminine Footprint on the Civil War
• Unshackling Potential: African American Soldiers in the Civil War
• The Aftermath of Lincoln’s Assassination: A Nation in Mourning
• Southern Economy: Scars of the Civil War
• Naval Might in the Civil War: Battles on the Blue Frontier
• Life Beyond the Battlefront: The Civil War Home Front
• The Influence of the Abolitionist Movement on the Civil War
• The Underground Railroad: A Path to Freedom
• Technological Advancements during the Civil War
• Confederate Secession: Causes and Consequences
• The Role of Photographs in Depicting the Civil War
• The Evolution of Civil War Medicine
• The Effect of the Civil War on American Literature
• The Impact of the Civil War on the Women’s Rights Movement
• Civil War Prisons: A Study of Living Conditions
• The Role of Music during the Civil War
• The Impact of the Civil War on Children
• Espionage and Spying during the Civil War
• A Comparative Study of Union and Confederate Armies
• The Role of Railroads in the Civil War
• Analysis of Key Civil War Battles
• The Effect of the Civil War on American Religion
• Impact of Civil War on Agriculture in the South
• The Role of Immigrants during the Civil War
• Freedmen’s Bureau: The Aftermath of the Civil War
• Military Strategies of the Union and Confederacy
• Foreign Diplomacy during the Civil War
• The Significance of Civil War Memorials
• Influence of Civil War on Future American Wars
• The Effects of Blockades during the Civil War
• The Role of the Press during the Civil War
• The Changing Role of African Americans Post Civil War
• Civil War and Its Impact on Education in the South
• The Role of Nurses in the Civil War
• The Development of Trench Warfare during the Civil War
• The Rise of Industrialization after the Civil War
• The Impact of the Civil War on Native American Tribes
• Reconstruction Era: Successes and Failures
• The Cultural Divide: The Civil War’s Impact on Regional Identity

Each topic presents a distinctive perspective on the Civil War, serving as a fertile ground for investigation and revelation.

Finishing the Journey

Selecting a Civil War topic for your research paper sets you on a path of adventure into a defining period in American history. Engaging with the multifaceted layers of this era bestows upon you a wealth of learning opportunities, expanding your historical knowledge and refining your research and analytical capabilities. Remember, the journey through the labyrinth of the past is as enlightening as the final treasure of knowledge you unearth.

So, equip yourself with your historian’s quill, select your topic, and embark on your expedition through time!

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251 Civil War Essay Topics

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• Discussion of Civil War in Bougainville
• The Weaknesses of Kuomintang During the Chinese Civil War
• The English Civil War: The Major Cause
• The Causes of the American Civil War
• Was the American Civil War Inevitable?
• Civil War Poetry by Whitman, Melville and Dickinson
• Economic Inequality as the Key Reason for the American Civil War
• African-Americans in the Civil War The Civil War is a historical landmark that provided a fundamental point of social changes for the African-Americans and the entire American society.
• Why the North Won the Civil War This paper discusses the causes of the Civil War. One of the reasons why the North (Union) won the Civil War was that it had a larger population than the South.
• Conflict Theory Applied to the American Civil War The research question of the planned research will be as follows: How does the conflict theory inform the causes of the American Civil War?
• Major Factors That Undermined U.S. Reconstruction Efforts Following the Civil War The article discusses factors which undermined Reconstruction which aimed to restore the Union, enact progressive legislation and provide civil rights to former slaves.
• The American Civil War: Effects and Consequences The American Civil War resulted in consequences as well as effects which are experienced by the American citizens presently.
• American Civil War and Its Complexities The Civil War remains the bloodiest in the history of the US. The losses of the northerners amounted to almost 360 thousand people killed and more than 275 thousand wounded.
• Battle of the Bull Run in American Civil War The first biggest land clash in the history of the American Civil War is the battle of the Bull Run also popularly known as the First Manassas.
• Gender and Race in Langston Hughes’ Poetry of the Spanish Civil War Langston Hughes was a crucial figure in the 1920s Harlem Renaissance, which blossomed black intellectual, literary, and creative life in several American cities, particularly Harlem.
• The Syrian Civil War and Its Factors The critical factors associated with the Syrian Civil War included authoritarianism, lack of U.S./Western involvement, and forced displacement.
• The Umayyad-Hashemite Civil War and the Birth of the Sunni-Shiite Islamic Schism The Umayyad-Hashemite civil war is attributed to the succession disputes, which took center stage after the death of Prophet Muhammad.
• The Civil War. The Letters From the Soldiers The essay under consideration represents the analysis of the soldiers’ letters within the larger sequence of historical events.
• New Technologies in the American Civil War This essay argues that innovative technologies had a substantial impact on the American Civil War, affecting military conduct and helping the North win.
• The Significance of the Civil War The Civil War was a key and defining moment in U.S. history because influenced the further democratic development of the United States.
• Women in Nursing During American Civil War Women in Civil War adopted various approaches such as aggressiveness and perseverance to change the common perspective regarding women and the field of nursing.
• American Civil War and Western Expansion The civil war events awakened the US, creating opportunities that enabled Americans to live and explore new prospects resulting in westward expansion and economic growth.
• Irish Revolution and Civil War of 1918-1923 This paper analyzes Walsh’s ideas about the place of the Irish Revolution and Civil War in the context of the postwar world and the struggle for self-determination.
• Ohio Role in the Civil War The American Civil War was a war between the citizens of the Northern and Southern states presented by the governments of the Union and the Confederacy.
• The South vs. The North in the American Civil War The main aim of this assignment is to present the differences between the two regions and to explain why the American Civil War started in 1861.
• Battle for Fort Sumter and the Beginning of the Civil War The battle for Fort Sumter became a starting point for subsequent military actions between the Confederates and the Union.
• John Brown and the Beginning of the Civil War The main problem that we analyse behind John Brown’s historical movements for social change was the use of violent weapons in response to the Southern aggression.
• A Nation Divided. Postcolonialism in “Captain America: Civil War” Captain America: Civil War provides a certain remedy to solve the current problems, and filmmakers utilize the postcolonial perspective that has gained momentum in recent decades.
• The American Civil War Between North and South The American Civil War is one of the most important events that played a significant role in the creation of the United States.
• Civil War in “For Cause and Comrades” by McPherson The current essay is an evaluation of McPherson’s book “For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War” based on the review of crucial plot points.
• The American Civil War: Key Information The American Civil War was a battle of interests, way of life between the North and the South where each fought to protect their values, different cultural and social aspects.
• North-South Gap as a Cause of American Civil War This paper discusses how the economic systems of the North and South contribute to a context of modernization that polarizes these societies and cause the American Civil War.
• The American Civil War and National Divisions During 1790-1861, the American Nation experienced significant locational, political, and economic divisions that are analyzed in this paper.
• American Civil War: Primary Documents Interpretation The American Civil War remains one of the greatest military conflicts occurring in the U.S., and its implications have been instrumental for human rights and democracy.
• The Material and Ideological Gains of the American Revolution and Civil War During a war or a conflict between countries, there is a set goal for why soldiers are sent to battlegrounds and commit to fighting until they get a victory.
• Texas in Connection to the American Civil War During the Civil War, even though the war was taking place outside of Texas, people were able to contribute. More precisely, many served in the Union Army.
• Sarah Rosetta Wakeman Against Civil War Challenges This essay is based on the story of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, a female soldier, who fought on the side of the Union in the Civil War, and her personal challenges.
• How Sarah Rosetta Wakeman Overcame Challenges of the Civil War Sarah Rosetta Wakeman faced and overcame the challenge of the Civil War and circumvented gender inequality by assuming the identity of a man named Lyons Wakeman.
• The Causes and Events That Led to the Civil War The Civil War was unquestionably the most disastrous catastrophe in American history. There were more casualties in this conflict.
• The American Civil War: Inevitability Reasons The American Civil War between the Northern and Southern states was an inevitable consequence of the growing contradictions between the two social systems within the country.
• The Alternative Ending of the Civil War The Civil War was the result of differences in views regarding slavery. An alternative ending and its consequences are reviewed along with the original turn of events.
• Preconditions of American Civil War The American Civil War can be considered one of the most important and iconic armed conflicts in the history of the United States.
• “The Killer Angels: A Novel of the Civil War” by Michael Shaara In the book “The killer angels: A Novel of the Civil War,” author Michael Shaara tells about the events taking place during the Civil War.
• The Battle of Jonesborough During the Civil War One of the most defining battles of the Civil War was the Battle of Jonesborough, in which the victory of the Union army marked the end of the war.
• The Results of the American Civil War When it comes to the Civil War’s outcomes, these were monumental: the establishment of a stronger federal government, validation of the United States’ single political entity.
• Harriet Tubman: Female Union Spies in Civil War Harriet Tubman is a significant mention in American history. She is among the few women who participated in the American Civil War.
• The Early Republic and the American Civil War The United States of America was founded as a republic, defined as a government in which the people hold sovereignty over the government and rule through elected representatives.
• The Sectional Crisis That Culminated in the Civil War Sectional crisis refers to the division between the free North and the slave-owning South in nineteenth-century America.
• The Causes of the Civil War in America The causes of the civil war were complicated and have been debated from the beginning. Most activities at school recognize slavery as the primary cause of the war.
• The New York Draft Riots During the Civil War The city of New York was likened to a small, blazing forest fire during the American Civil War, representing a tremendous threat to the city and the Union.
• The Reconstruction and the Civil War Impact on the US The Reconstruction and the Civil War proved the readiness of the United States to extend the idea of human rights and re-evaluate such issues as discrimination and violence.
• Problematic Generalizations About Civil War The most non-obvious simplification is often the simplest possible. The heaviest battles were fought precisely on southern soil.
• Could the American Civil War Be Avoided? The American Civil War is well known, primarily because it started because of the institution of slavery. All people in the North and South were influenced by the brutal war.
• Reconstruction After the American Civil War This article gives an elaborate account of reconstruction and the underlying effects of the process in the post-reconstruction era.
• The Culture of Death in the American Civil War The paper discusses the perception of death during the Civil War era. It shows the contrast between people’s opinions about it in the past and the present.
• Utilitarianism and the Civil War The civil war in America can be justified by utilitarianism since the moral reform of slavery was central to the conflict.
• Civil War: The Legacy in Ending Slavery The Civil War was among the worst wars that happened in America. However, it also left a legacy that caused the ending of slavery.
• The Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War The Union army initiated the Atlanta Campaign hoping that with the city’s fall, the Confederates would swiftly end the American Civil War.
• Who Started the American Civil War and Why? The American Civil War was a tragic event that resulted from long-standing indifferences between states in the North and Southern parts of the US.
• Primary Causes of the Civil War This essay aims to analyze the causes of the Civil War based on the secession documents of the Confederate States.
• Discussion of the American Civil War The paper discusses the impact of slavery on American culture and politics, emerged issues and problems and to what extend American civil war resolved those problems.
• American Civil War: The New South The New South, as a concept that emerged after the end of the Civil War, promised a significant transformation of the country’s southern regions.
• Mary Elizabeth Bowser: Person From the Civil War Era Mary Bowser was a Union spy, working to collect important information during the Civil War. Van Lew persuaded a friend to bring Bowser to a function hosted by Varina Davis.
• The American Civil War: Expectations and Outcomes In this essay, the plans, expectations, and outcomes of the American Civil War will be discussed, taking into account both sides of the conflict.
• The American Civil War’s Causes and Effects The American Civil War was a unique event that changed the lives of millions of people. It became a disaster and a new birth of the desired freedom.
• The Importance of the Dred Scott Decision in the Events Leading Up to the Civil War In the middle of the XIX century, some events purposefully led to the American Civil War, and one of them was the Dred Scott decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.
• The Victory of Union in the American Civil War As this paper demonstrates, Abraham Lincoln applied several policies that ensured that the Union won the civil war against the Confederate states.
• African Americans in the Civil War This paper examines the influence of African Americans on the course and outcomes of the Civil War in the United States of America.
• What Factors Caused the Civil War The factors that led to the Civil War include the disagreements on some core issues and values between the communities in the North and the South.
• Arguments That the South “Won” the Civil War It could seem that the South won the Civil War because some states were able to protect against slavery, and most African Americans lived in poverty.
• Declaration of Independence’s Evolution Between 1776 and the Civil War This paper provides a detailed view of the declaration of independence and its evolutionary factors over recognition and fair treatment of women and slavery.
• The American Civil War and North-South Conflict The start of the American Civil War can be traced to the inflexible variations between the autonomous anti-slave North states and the enslaved states in the South.
• Civil War Veterans and Crime in America Podcast by Handley-Cousins and Earls explores how American society and its disabled soldiers coped with the perceptions of service, disability, and government responsibility.
• The Hypocrisy of the Civil War The current paper states that the abolishment of slavery can be considered one of the greatest achievements of the American Civil War.
• American Civil War and Abraham Lincoln’s Presidency The American Civil War was a watershed instant in the country’s history. Ten thousand battles were fought across the globe between 1861 and 1865.
• US History: The Civil War Discussion Although Southerners are seen as slavery supporters and the Northerners as fighters for freedom, the Civil War showed that the problem cannot be divided into good and bad.
• The Abolition of Slavery After the Civil War This essay covers topics directly addressing the racial problems from Reconstruction when the civil war between the North and the South pushed society to critical changes.
• The Civil War and the Status of African Americans The paper discusses the outcomes of the Civil War that considerably changed the status of African Americans in American society.
• African American Soldiers and the Civil War African American soldiers played an essential role in the American Civil War. The white Northerners accepted emancipation and allowed African Americans to participate in the war.
• Slavery and the Civil War: Reasons and Outcomes Slavery stressed the issue of freedom in America and led to effective national changes in its legislation, economy, policy, and social structure.
• Reconstruction: The Second Civil War After the ending of the Civil War, there were two problems in U. S. society between blacks and whites. One of them was the problem of elections and the right to vote
• How Did the Civil War Affect the Distribution of Wealth in the United States? The Civil War affected the social and legal alterations in the way slavery is perceived, which affected the ability of Southern slaveowners to attain profits.
• Sectionalism and Road to American Civil War in 1861 The American civil war started due to many differences between the North and the South regarding economic development, social and political opinions.
• African Americans: Participation in the Civil War According to the research paper, African Americans were doing their utmost in order to prevent slavery during the Civil War.
• Women and the Civil War: Homefront & Battlefield Women could not sit idly while their husbands and children continued getting wounds. Some went as far as joining the fight, but others made significant contributions from home.
• Great Roles of Women in the Civil War American women were predominantly perceived only in the domestic context, which was probably one of the factors that led to the underestimation of their roles in the Civil War.
• The Role of Women During Civil War This article explains why women were the participants in the Civil War, and their impact was as significant as the men’s achievements.
• The Battle for Atlanta in American Civil War On September 2, 1864, Atlanta, also known as the gate to the South, fell. This day has become one of the significant turning points in the history of the Civil War.
• Black Women-Activists During the Civil War in the US All women were worthy of their rights and freedom and were willing to sacrifice themselves, their time, and their health to achieve this.
• Iraqi Civil War in 2014-2017: Case Study This work is presented as a case study of the Iraqi Civil War 2014-2017, presented to the American listener in the form of a radio podcast.
• Nat Turner: Abolitionists, Insurrectionists, and the Road to Civil War The present paper describes abolitionists and insurrectionists depicted in the book “The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion”.
• The Civil War as a Political Crisis The American Civil War is a war from 1861 to 1865 between the Union of non-slavery states and border slave states – on the one side, and the Confederacy of slave states – on the other.
• The Civil War Events’ Description Differences The Civil War is a significant historical event that moved the American nation to its unity and revealed the United States’ social, political, and economic challenges in the XIX century.
• Women and Their Role During the Civil War During the Civil War, women felt that they could be useful not only in the domestic sphere but also in the public arena.
• The Causes of Tension Before the American Civil War The Civil War has started as a result of uncompromising differences in the views of the North and the South on the issue of slavery.
• How Constitutional Developments Amounted to American Civil War The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the events that led to the American Revolution of the 1860s.
• Nationalism: The History of Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War in 1936-1939 was the confrontation of two warring forces – the Republican Popular Front and nationalists supported by the Nazi countries of Europe.
• Civil Rights for African Americans: Evolution From the Civil War to Today Due to the efforts of many activists, African Americans gained the status of free citizens and equal rights in the second half of the 20th century, which continues to this day.
• Partido Obrero de Unificación Marxista and Civil War in Spain The paper aims to give a detailed review of the Civil War in Spain in 1936-1939 and discover the character of P.O.U.M.’s participation in the war.
• Iraqi Civil War in 2014-2017 The example of the Iraqi civil war of 2014-2017 proves that the geopolitical, and some other contexts of the confrontation pose a severe threat to the whole world.
• Sherman’s March to the Sea: The Most Decisive Moment of the Civil War Civil War is the bloodstain for the United States, and Sherman’s March to the Sea is the most decisive moment against the Confederacy that led the War to its ending.
• The Civil War Lessons: Fight for Freedom and Equal Rights The key moment of U.S. history is the Civil War and its consequences, the persistence of people fighting for freedom, and the strength of minorities experiencing oppression.
• Syrian Civil War in Media Coverage One way in which the media coverage has influenced the behavior of viewers towards the Syrian conflict has been through its portrayal of the deaths of children.
• Civil War in the US: Causes and Effects It appears that the American Civil War’s causes and effects have a close connection, and are conditioned by the adoption of human freedoms and rights in the US Constitution
• Civil War Prevention: Learning from History The two most pressing problems for the US, which appeared long before the start of the war, were the abolition of slavery and the bourgeois-democratic solution to the land question.
• The War Ends, The Reconstruction Begins. USA after the Civil War The present paper is focused on the issues of Reconstruction that took place in the USA after the Civil War and different approaches different government bodies took to it.
• Early America Civil War Period Analysis The US Civil War began on April 12th, 1861, as a result of the unending deep-rooted sectional conflict that was reflected by economic and social-political disparities between the northern and the southern regions.
• Civil War Resolutions, Party Platforms and Speeches The stern platforms taken by various groups on the compromise led to the secession of various states from the union as well as contributing to the civil war.
• The Civil War and Reconstruction The war between South and North began in April 1861. The Southern wanted to be autonomous and they thus broke away from North and formed Southern confederate states.
• American Civil War Aftermath The Civil War appeared to be a sectional War which affected and weakened the position of American nation in general.
• American Civil War Reasons The war between the Confederacy and the Union in 1861 was the consequence of an expansion of slavery, different events, and crises, which helped to intensify sectional animosity.
• The American Civil War: A History of the American Revolution The Southern states believed it is their right to own slaves and declared they do not want part of the Union. The government was forced to go to war to preserve the Union.
• Civil War Memoirs of Southern Women Civil War was known as the deadliest war in the history of the United States. After it had ended, slavery was abolished at the price of more than half a million people.
• The Civil War and the Republican Party The Republicans of 1854 saw the Kansas and Nebraska Act as a direct attack on the issue of the non-extension of slavery, the basis of Western free soil principle.
• Feminism in Civil War South Power Feminism in the Civil War South dates from anti-slavery movement which demanded abolition of slavery in the early 20th Century.
• Fort Sumter and Its Role in the Civil War The Sumter battle had several people killed and wounded. It was due to the bombardment of fort Sumter that led to the civil war being initiated.
• The Historical Significance of the Civil War in England The Civil War in England is a range of conflicts between the adherents of Carl I and the adherents of the Parliament. These events took place from 1642 to 1652.
• Events Leading to the Civil War in America The paper analyzes four events that were significantly responsible for the manifestation of the American Civil War. Each event is discussed from political and social perspectives.
• American Civil War and Iraq Invasion Comparison The civil war had the Republican Party has been the dominant party which was mostly dominating this war headed by Abraham Lincoln.
• “Half Slave and Half Free: The Roots of Civil War” by Bruce Levine In the book “Half Slave and Half Free: The Roots of Civil War” by Bruce Levine, the author gives detailed information on each of the American Civil War years.
• The United States and Difficult Reunification Through a Civil War The Civil War in the United States of America broke out in 1861 when eleven states in the south decided to secede from the federal government.
• American Civil War History and Review Between 1861 and 1865 the north and South America states engaged in battle against each other. According to many Americans, the American civil war remains the deadliest in history of America.
• Civil War Literature Review Literature always reflects every change in the society and it stands to reason that American literature of the nineteenth century was strongly influenced by the tragic events of the Civil War of 1861-1865.
• Civil War: The Second American Revolution This essay describes the case of the American Civil War, the heroes created by it, a time of political, social, and economic chaos in a country.
• War for the West in America After the Civil War The essay discusses an outbreak against slavery that was going on in America – the war for the West in America led by the Red Indians.
• Central Government from the Colonial Era to the Civil War Being a subject of the British Empire, American colonies were dependent on the Crown and had limited power and no ability for self-determination.
• The Reconstruction Period After the Civil War in the USA One of the examples of rehabilitation is the Reconstruction Era that followed the Civil War in the USA in the 19th century.
• Turning Point of Civil War in the United States The Civil War remains an important historical moment since it led to the establishment of a united country and promoted new laws and frameworks.
• Colombian Civil War’s Political and Economic Reasons The main goal of this literature review is to discuss the main political and economic reasons for the protracted Colombian Civil War.
• Civil War in “The American Tradition in Literature” The American Tradition in Literature book is helpful for reasoning the historical events. It provided an insight into the Civil War reasoning and issues facing the early Americans.
• The U.S. Civil War The US government faced a daunting task of resupplying the troops now stationed at Fort Sumter. In this effect, President Buchanan ordered shipment of more men, supplies and arms to Fort Sumter.
• Slavery and Civil War: American History American history is defined by slavery. The founding fathers of America, in the 17th and 18th century, grew the economy through slave labor.
• The Kansas-Nebraska Act: the Civil War The legal act was primarily intended for the public administrators working in the new territories of Kansas and Nebraska.
• Colombian Civil War and the Issue of Political Economy The guiding research question is how political economy can explain the protracted Colombian Civil War, specifically between the state and FARC.
• American Civil War, Its Main Figures and Events Henry Jackson Hunt, the Chief of Artillery during the Civil War helped shape the results of the war. He recorded several success measures.
• American Civil War and Its Predetermination To date, the Civil War remains the greatest battle on the U.S. territory and one of the most significant events in the American history.
• Crisis and Civil War Events in Nigeria The crisis in Nigeria had a major effect on the lives of many civilians and brought to light many human rights issues, which had to be addressed through global efforts.
• Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War Abraham Lincoln was a person who has prevented the collapse of the USA and who has liberated slaves. He is considered as an adherent of the American democracy.
• American Civil War in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address The American Civil War occurred between 1861 and 1865. Without a doubt, it is one of the darkest political upheavals in the history of the United States.
• American Civil War and North-South Confrontation The paper is to discuss the causes of the conflict between the South and the North of the country, which has evolved into a war and reviews the ramifications of the confrontation
• US Civil War in “A People at War” by Nelson & Sheriff In the book A People at War, Nelson and Sheriff explain how the events of the American Civil War affected the soldiers and civilians involved in the military campaign.
• The United States Civil War: Soldiers’ Motivations This paper compares and contrasts the motivations of Union soldiers and Confederate soldiers, how were they different from each other and are there any ways they were the same.
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• Could the U.S. Iron Industry Have Survived Free Trade After the Civil War?
• Can the United States Justify the Civil War?
• How did Corporations and Businesses grow in Post-Civil War America?
• Could the Civil War Have Been Avoided?
• How and Why Did the North Win the American Civil War?
• Did the Civil War Give Birth to the Modern United States of America?
• Did the North Win the Civil War Before It Began?
• How Was the American Civil War Irrepressible?
• Could the U.S. Civil War Have Been Averted?
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• Did Abraham Lincoln Cause the Civil War?
• How Did Life Change for the Blacks After the Civil War?
• Did African American Participation in the Civil War Change?
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• What Advantages Did the North and South Have as the Civil War Began?
• The Impact of the Civil War on the Economy and Infrastructure of the United States
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These essay examples and topics on Civil War were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

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Interesting 50 Civil War Topics For Research Paper

Are you looking for an interesting research topic for your next civil war project, homework, or assignment? When you’re assigned a research paper task, it can be tough to draft new and interesting civil war topics to write about. But don’t worry – we’ve got you covered! In American history, the Civil War was a conflict lasting from 1861 to 1865. The Civil War took place due to growing tensions between Northern and Southern states. The primary reason for the conflict was that Southern states wanted to preserve slavery, while Northern states frowned upon it.

Civil War Topic Ideas for Students

Best civil war research paper topics, educative united states history research topics, straightforward topics on civil war research projects, captivating civil war thesis topics, outstanding civil war debate topics, thoughtful us history term paper topics, interesting us history topics for research paper, exciting historical argument topics, talk to us for the most interesting topics in history.

This article provides a list of 50 possible civil war paper topics to choose from. Whether you are a high school student or a graduate student, there is sure to be a topic that interests you. So get started today and get that grade you’ve always wanted. And more so, prepare your way to become an expert on the issues around the civil war.

Essentially, students need to think about their paper mission before exhausting the civil war topic ideas. The same applies when answering questions about the civil war causes. Here are some interesting civil war research paper topic ideas:

• Arguing for or against is one of the most common disputes over the war.
• Expounding on what states gain by interfering with civil war.
• Do most residents nobly fight to defend their land and honor?
• Discuss a lesser-known conflict that took place in a particular community.
• You can also come up with topics about healers, women, soldiers, nurses, and their relationship with civil war.

Whether you are working on civil war writing prompts or the final civil war research project in your course, give the best. Some topics that trigger civil war debate questions include:

• Civil and how government control comes into play.
• Why civil war was not a natural occurrence.
• The cultural changes were witnessed in the US after the war.
• What economic interests made people fight during the civil war?
• Who was the Civil war mastermind?

Students looking forward to writing a potentially interesting research paper on the civil war subject need to do some basic research. These history topics are a game-changer:

• Civil war duration and mental health of participants.
• What triggered the English civil war? The real mistake.
• Was slavery that extensive during the civil war?
• How civil war helped US authorities.
• A retrospective view on women and civil rights violations during the civil war.

Your topics of the civil war must show your prowess in what you write. That’s why you need to be very keen on civil war topics to write about. Here’s a list of 10 civil war topics for a research paper worth considering:

• How the Southern culture of honor contributed to the coming of the civil war
• How politics changed after the civil war
• Ethnic Polarization and civil war length
• The long-term impact of the war on soldiers
• Civil war and economic growth in the United States

Are you struggling to write civil war topics? Worry not. The best US history paper topics and the battle of Gettysburg project ideas in this list will enable you to achieve what you want. They include:

• How the North strategized the war for a win.
• Civil war problems still stand to date.
• What days did the civil war happen at maximum?
• The role of rivers in civil war.
• How religion and civil war collided.

If your civil war topics for research capture what your examiners want, be ready for top grades. As you sit for your civil war research paper, these topics about the civil war will come in handy:

• Civil war and long-term effect on future generations.
• How the west determined the side that won the war.
• The significance of communication among the societies during the civil war.
• Civil war, slavery, and participants of civil war: The ultimate relationship.
• North Carolina leadership contributions that transformed the civil war.

Just like you need the best civil war project topics for your civil war research papers, your civil war paper on debate also deserves an outstanding civil war topics list. That said, here are interesting history paper topics to consider:

• How the North succeeded in winning the war.
• Was the South able to rebuild fast after the Civil War?
• Does racial injustice root down from the days of civil war?
• What civil war chronology would have worked during the civil war?
• Did the civil war change how American history used to trend?

Whether your goal is to settle on the best argumentative history topics and deliver an excellent paper or come up with random us history topics for a research paper, you must get the best. Let’s look at some of the best topics for American history research papers.

• The significance of geography in determining which states seceded from the Union
• The civil war cause that will forever be remembered in American history
• The role of African-American soldiers in winning freedom.
• The most notable battles of the civil war
• The cultural, political, and social impact of the civil war

Civil war topics for projects that need detailed analysis must be well thought out. You need war research topics that enable you to write a civil war thesis statement that converts. Use these civil war ideas for your research papers on the civil war:

• The role of blockades in winning the war.
• Abraham Lincoln’s effects on American history: Ending slavery.
• Effects of slavery: A significant factor in causing the war.
• The collapse of the economy and society in the South following the Civil War.
• How African-American soldiers fought for their freedom.

Topics for history papers don’t have to be boring. If you’re keen enough, many good questions about the civil war will allow you to write very exciting argument topics. Here are American history topics to write about :

• Were women a major cause of the Civil War?
• Was the United States able to avoid civil war before it happened?
• To what extent did civil war contribute to industrialization: An expert view.
• Relationship between civil war and feminism: Dating back in 1861.
• The reality of civil war on men.

Some civil war discussion questions you might have come across will give you civil war project ideas for high school or university paper writing. But are these civil war project ideas enough? You must think over and beyond.

Talk to us for history assignment help and get the best topic and a civil war thesis statement that will convince your examiner. Remember, a good research paper will guarantee an excellent final grade and a full academic scholarship.

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Home — Essay Samples — War — American Civil War — The American Civil War: A Historical Overview

The American Civil War: a Historical Overview

• Categories: American Civil War

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Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 691 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Causes of the civil war, major events of the civil war, key figures and leaders, impact and consequences, legacy of the civil war, references:.

• McPherson, J. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford University Press.
• Foner, E. (2015). Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877. Harper Perennial.
• Grose, H.R. (2019). Civil War Leadership and Mexican War Experience: Generals Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee. Routledge.

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American Civil War Essay

American War And The American Civil War

then caused the Southern states of America to decide to leave the American Union and create their own Southern Confederacy. This tore our nation apart. The American Civil War had begun and the very people that were once neighbors had each

The War Of The American Civil War

slavery even if it meant war caused peace in this nation. Slavery was the vital cause of the American Civil War. The north and the south both had their differences on how to run the country. People in the North believed in unity and that slavery should not exist because “all men are created equally.” On the other hand, the South believed in continuing slavery. People tried to talk it out and come to a middle ground after both sides compromising, however that didn’t work and caused war. Ideological differences

A Civil War is a battle between the same citizens in a country. The American Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865 to determine the independence for the Confederacy or the survival of the Union. By the time Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1861, in the mist of 34 states, the constant disagreement caused seven Southern slave states to their independence from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America. The Confederacy, generally known as the South, grew to include eleven

There were many events that led to the cause of one of America’s most devastating war, the American Civil War. The American Civil War was an unfortunate war that cost more than the lives of six hundred thousand people. Events such as the Missouri Compromise, Kansas Nebraska Act, Dred Scott Decision, and the Election of Abraham Lincoln resulted in the four yearlong battles between the Northern and Southern states due to social and economic differences on the idea of slavery. In the 19th century,

disputed over the vast majority of causes of the American Civil War for ages. While some explanations may appear easier to pinpoint, the primary underlying catalyst to the start of the war was the controversy over slavery. Though the northern and southern regions of the United States fostered contrasting views on a range of issues, they shared the common perspective of promoting Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was the prevalent attitude that induced Americans to expand from coast to coast. This inclination

The Civil War And The American War

The question of what caused the Civil War is debatable because there are several events that may have influenced the war such as the Western Expansion, Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War. The war also stems from slavery, the North and South basically fought over whether or not slavery should be permitted. Another point that may have influenced the Civil War is the economic and social structure of the country, which also falls under slavery because the South main source of income was slavery

When the American Civil War began in the spring of 1861, those flocking to enlistment stations in states both north and south chiefly defined their cause as one of preservation. From Maine to Minnesota, young men joined up to preserve the Union. From Virginia to Texas, their future foes on the battlefield enlisted to preserve a social order, a social order at its core built on the institution of slavery and racial superiority . Secession had not been framed by prominent Southerners like Robert Toombs

The American Civil War

The American Civil War was one of the most devastating wars in America’s history. The war did not only divide the country, but it also divided families. There were a lot of things that led to the Civil War but, I believe the primary source of the North/South conflict that led to the Civil War was the issue over Free states vs. Slave states. The three political acts that helped this source of conflict led to the Civil War was The Missouri Compromise, The Compromise of 1850, and The Kansas-Nebraska

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The American Civil War, also known as the State’s War, was a conflict that arose mostly from the issue of slavery, but deep down was due to economic differences between the North and the South. The South seceded from the North and created their own self-government due to their belief in the lack of state’s rights versus the federal government and what they saw as a weakness in the Articles of Confederation. While the Confederacy of the United States depended on slave labor for their economy in regards

The American Civil War was one of the major events in history that helped develop America to what it is today. Many people think that the American Civil War was fought over the issue of slavery alone, but in reality it was caused by many disagreements and events between the northern free states and southern slave states that occurred prior to the war. Monetary alterations were one of the main reasons the North and South had many conflicts and differences in beliefs. The Civil War was an inevitable

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• Civil War Essays

Civil War Essays (Examples)

1000+ documents containing “civil war” .

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Civil war how did it happen that.

Civil War How did it happen that the North won the Civil War, notwithstanding the fact that the South had its own powerful advantages? This paper explores that question using chapters 11, 12, 13 and 14 for reference sources. Background on the Southern economy and politics The South greatly expanded its agricultural industry (the plantation system) between 1800 and 1860, and in doing so became "increasingly unlike the North," the author explains in Chapter 11. The "lower South" relied on cotton (short staple cotton) and the market for all that cotton in New England and in Great Britain made many plantation owners wealthy. Because of the skyrocketing cotton industry, more and more slaves were needed to tend those crops, and some 410,000 slaves were moved from the upper South to the lower South. And yet the South depended economically on the North (which had a booming industrial growth period) and the South did….

Civil War of Northern Aggression Is the

Civil ar of Northern Aggression Is the Term Accurate? The Civil war has been one of the most controversial topics in the history of United States. here it has been given many names like ar Between the States, the ar of the Rebellion and the ar for Southern Independence, one of its most controversial names is the ar of Northern Aggression. There is an enormous amount of literature written on the subject matter in the form of books, articles, research papers etc. however, James McPherson has managed to present a rather accurate and unbiased account of civil war. According to McPherson, despite the violence showed by Northern States, it was the secession of the southern states and initiation in firing the first shot which started the war in the first place[footnoteRef:1]. Therefore, considering that Southern states were just operating in their defensive mode would present a rather inaccurate account of the history.….

McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era, Oxford University Press, 2003.

Civil War 1861-1865

Civil War represents a decisive period in American history, but also one of violence, during which more than 620,000 Americans died. (Gary B. Nash, Carter Smith, page 144) The American Civil War was fought between North and the South, and started as a result of their differences regarding slavery, state's rights and federal authority. The decisive moment was when epublican candidate Abraham Lincoln won the election, and become the president of the United States. This victory influenced seven states to leave the union; on December 20, 1860 South Carolina, and, after the war started six more states left the union (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi) While the North's economy was based on manufacturing and industry, agriculture being an isolated activity, in the South it was based on agriculture and slavery. The main crops that were planted in the South were cotton and tobacco. After 1830 the North wanted to….

References:

1. Nash, Gary B., Smith, Carter, Atlas of American History, Infobase Publishing, 2007

2. Civil War, Retrieved December 18, 2012, from the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District website: http://www.harlingen.isd.tenet.edu/coakhist/cwar.html

3. American Civil War, Retrieved December 18, 2012, from the History website:  http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war

Civil War Would the Union Still Have

Civil War Would the union still have won the civil war if the Border States separated? The union would have still won if the Border States separated. During the Civil War the Border States, Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri, were not critical to the unions victory over the confederates. Unfortunately, our modern society has been marred with war and strife over its eventful lifespan. A civil disagreement, when accompanied by mass offenses, often ends with deadly war. Throughout history, many nations have been unable to solve their personal grievances with one another in a diplomatic manner. In many instances are solves through protest, boycotts and other contentious means. However, in some instances, society elects the worst possible alternative, which is often war. In retrospect, wars have been fought for many worthwhile causes, even by today's standards. Wars have been fought over liberty, injustice, the potential threat to national security and more. However, no….

1. Allen C. Guelzo, Lincoln: a very short introduction (Oxford U.P., 2009), p. 61. See also Foner, Eric. The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery (2010), p. 100.

2. McPherson, "Battle Cry," pp. 8 -- 85. In Gerson, Harriet Beecher Stowe, p. 68; also Stowe, Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin (1953), p. 2-39.

3. William W. Freehling, The Road to Disunion: Secessionists Triumphant 1854 -- 1861, (1988) pp. 9 -- 24.

4. Curry, Richard Orr (1964), A House Divided, A Study of the Statehood Politics & the Copperhead Movement in West Virginia, Univ. Of Pittsburgh Press, map on page 49.

Civil War in a Long War All

Civil War In a long war, all of the economic, financial and population advantages would favor the North since the South was a mostly agrarian region that imported its manufactured goods. Initially, both sides had expected that the war would be short and decisive, although by 1862 it was clear that it might drag on indefinitely. Jefferson Davis, obert E. Lee and the other Southern leaders realized that their best chance would be to win a series of rapid military victories early in the war then appeal to Britain, France and other European nations for diplomatic recognition. They did not wish to conquer the North nor did they ever imagine that they had the capacity to do so. Their only goal was to gain independence and force the other side to end the war, but the longer it lasted, the more the Union's advantages in population, money, ideology and resources would….

Brinkley, A. (2012). American History: A Survey, 14th Edition. McGraw-Hill, Chapters 13 and 14.

Civil War Marked a Pivotal

Robert E. Lee was also an important general responsible for commanding the Northern Virginia regiment of the confederate army. Lee was interesting in that even though he was a confederate commander he was believed be against slavery. Lincoln's beliefs about America are forever engrained on the national psyche. Speeches such as the Gettysburg Address are still quoted and reflects the intent of the founding fathers. The Gettysburg Address states, "Four Score and Seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure ("The Gettysburg Address")." These words have been used at many throughout American history in times of distress and change. Also, the current president even took the cites….

Works Cited

Civil War. Library of Congress. 2 April 2009; http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-

bin/page.cgi/jb/civil

McPherson James M. 2003. Battle cry of freedom: the Civil War era . Oxford University

Press: U.S.

Civil War Robert Gould Shaw's

The action was successful and gave them control over the island. The victory encouraged Gillmore to order another attack, this time on Wagner. He ordered the troops to bomb by land and sea. Robert immediately sent out pickets to complement with whites in other regiments. Early on July 16, 54th companies fought with members of 10th Connecticut. A force of Confederate attacked the picket line but the 54th persisted as long as it could. This persistence allowed the 10th Connecticut to retreat behind without much loss and injury. The 54th took the toll for the retreat. It proved that lack troops could put up a fight. That afternoon, Robert and Ned Hallowell exchanged premonitions of not surviving that action. He shared the same with his wife in a letter that the gallantry of his men would make up for the humiliating loss in Darien. y sunset, the 54th Regiment….

Bibliography

Adler, John, ed. 2005. The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson. Harper's Weekly: Harp Week, LLC

Dhalle, Kathy. 1997. A Biography of Robert Gould Shaw. The American Civil War History Special Interest Group: Bits of Blue and Gray. http://www.bitsofblueandgray.com/june2003.htm

Hickman, Kennedy. 2007. Civil War: Robert Gould Shaw. Military History. About.com: The New York Times Company

http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/1800armybiographies/p/rgshaw.htm?p=1 (Accessed December 2, 2007)

Civil War and Grant the Civil War

Civil War and Grant The Civil War in the United States can be considered as the darkest moment in its relatively young history. (Mitgang, 2000) His Gettysburg State of the Union Address is perhaps the shortest in history; but the depth of meaning and the profundity of emotions it invokes should never be forgotten. It starkly contrasts with the inane, self-congratulatory blather of modern presidential administrations. This hotly contested War had amazing leaders. General Robert E. Lee, for the Confederates, was a gentleman's gentleman, brilliant tactician and wonderful human being. If one were to root for the Unionists as being on the right side of the Civil War, then Lee was a victim of circumstances, who merely happened to lead for the Southerners. (Robert E. Lee, soldier, patriot, educator, 1921) On the other hand, the General Ulysses Grant, the leader of the Union Army, won decisive battle after battle and made the….

Bradford, N. (2001). Battles and leaders of the Civil War (2001 ed.), New York, Gramercy Books.

Dodge, G.M. (1965). Personal recollections of President Abraham Lincoln, General Ulysses S. Grant, and General William T. Sherman (1st reprint ed.), Denver, Sage Books.

Donovan, T.H. (2002). The American Civil War, Garden City Park, N.Y., Square One Publishers.

Gallagher, G.W. (1999). The Antietam campaign, Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press.

Civil War Slavery the Territories

The War in the West Just as the causes of the Civil War are not entirely simple or straightforward, the progress of the war was anything but linear. Despite an ultimate Union victory, the Confederacy managed several periods of advancement into Union territories, and they were even more effective at maintaining a hold on their home territories. Thus, the war progressed and regressed in fits and starts at ties, and victories in one region could easily be offset by losses in another. There were several major theaters of the Civil War, and different issues and strategies led to different developments of the war in these theaters at different periods in the war. In the Western theater in the first half of 1862, the Union made a relatively rapid progression into Confederate territory against an under-funded and under-manned enemy army. By the end of January, the Union had taken most of Kentucky in….

Concord Learning Systems. (2008). "Civil war battles: Theaters of war." Accessed 22 August 2009. http://www.laughtergenealogy.com/bin/cw-battles/theaters.html#3_1862

Hickman, K. (2009). "American civil war: Causes." Accessed 22 August 2009.  http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/civilwar/a/CivilWarCauses_2.htm 

McPherson, J. (2000). Ordeal by fire. New York: McGraw Hill.

Civil War Technology Communications and

So the professional opportunities for young obert were limited, and the army came as a rescue solution. Pegging to his life of severe lacks, difficulties and sadness, Lee became a man of strict self imposed limits. He was moderate and never wasteful of either type of resource. Due to his rather stern appearance, he was not the most popular of army men. But he did always serve his country and the cause he believed to be the truest. He had a strong sense of civil duty, and he strived to insufflate it to others. And while not many will agree with this, Lee was a compassionate man, who cared and strived to protect his subalterns. In working toward this goal, he also understood that his men were the ones who determined the final fate of the war. So he strived to protect their lives. Evidence in this direction stands the battle….

McPherson, J.M., Battle Cry of Freedom: the Civil War Era, Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 019516895X

Civil War Historians Have Long Puzzled Over

Civil ar Historians have long puzzled over the contradictions within Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. As a statement of general principle it seems compromised by Lincoln's refusal to extend manumission to slaves within those border states which permitted slavery but which had remained within the Union at the onset of hostilities: Missouri, Kentucky, Delaware and Maryland. This central contradiction was observed at the time; Evans notes that some Abolitionists claimed it was a clever but meaningless document that freed only those slaves now firmly under Confederate control, in states where Lincoln had no power to do so. 'A poor document but a mighty act,' the Governor of Massachusetts said to a friend. (Evans 192) I would suggest, however, that our confused understanding of the Emancipation Proclamation derives from understanding the document as part of Lincoln's military strategy. The better way to understand the Emancipation Proclamation is within the context of foreign affairs. Even….

Evans, Eli. Judah P. Benjamin: The Jewish Confederate. New York: Free Press, 1988. Print.

Graebner, Norman A. "Northern Diplomacy and European Neutrality." In Donald, David Herbert. Why The North Won The Civil War. New York: Touchstone, 1996. Print.

Jones, Howard. Union in Peril: The Crisis over British Intervention in the Civil War. University of North Carolina Press, 1992. Print.

North, Douglass. Growth and Welfare in the American Past: A New Economic History. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1974. Print.

Civil War the Beginning of the Nineteenth

Civil War he beginning of the nineteenth century marked a period of reform and social changes in Europe and the young American state that was triggered and partly encouraged by the new era of industrialization. he transfer from agrarian to industrial societies changed people's lives and offered new perspectives for those concerned for the well being of the society as a whole. he widening gap between the American North and South continued to grow after the euphoria of the first decades since the Declaration of Independence had been proclaimed in Philadelphia in 1787. he majority of the Americans were still living in an agrarian society, but the numbers were disproportionate between North and South and many historians and political analysts consider these differences in stages of development as the roots of social inequity and finally, of the war between North and South. While the American North was embracing new technologies, new ideas, reforms,….

The Pre-Civil War Era (1815 -- 1850). History SparkNotes. Retrieved: Dec6, 2009. Available at:  http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/precivilwar/summary.html 

Secession Crisis. The Missouri Compromise. Retrieved: Dec 7, 2009. Available at: http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/secessioncrisis/200303.html

Monroe Doctrine, 1823. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved: Dec. 6, 2009. Available at:  http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/jd/16321.htm

Civil War the Period Surrounding

The first article in the Rep. is condemned by the two colours, hite Brown, but I can't see why. e are in fearful times, but the Lord reigneth & I have no serious fears for the issue. I feel like Gen. Jackson-"the Union must & shall be preserved" and "their object is disunion; but be not deceived, disunion, by armed force, is treason." I hope no one will be hung, tho' a few deserve it. I have no confidence in man's wisdom; but as I said in my last baccalaureate, God made this government & he will not let man destroy it. (Augusta County: George Junkin to Francis McFarland, January 19, 1861) hile in comparison to these heated ideologies, only the last of which holds out hope to the end that unity will be restored, the letters and documents from Franklin county express the idea that their chosen voices will preserve….

All sources are found within the Valley of the Shadows documentary project Website Presented by the Virginia Center for Digital History at:  http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu/choosepart.html

Civil War the International Law Stands on

Civil War The International law stands on two cornerstones of the Codified Law and Customary Law. The Codified Law is represented by the UN Charter that embodies the norms of sovereignty and non-interference in the domestic affairs of the state and contrary to this the Customary law progressively stresses upon the safeguarding of human rights and the security and well being of the individual. Taking into consideration the present situation and emerging norms on intervention, there appears to be two isolated but associated principles on the basic unacceptability of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, to illustrate, the establishment of International Criminal Court and secondly a wider principle emphasizing the significance of the non-use of coercive force so as to allow resolving the clashes internally. The quest for the reasons behind the intervention is necessitated more intensive thought to reveal out the possibly criterion for justifying the intervention as convergence….

Boutwell, Jeffrey. Pugwash Study Group on Intervention, Sovereignty and International Security. Pugwash Workshop on Intervention and Sovereignty. Pugwash Meeting No. 252, 10-11 December 1999. Venice, Italy. Retrieved from  http://www.pugwash.org/reports/rc/rc5.htm  Accessed on 7 May, 2005

Chester Crocker, Lessons on Intervention, in Managing Conflict in the Post-Cold War World: The Role of Intervention. Report of the Aspen Institute Conference, August 2-6, 1995, (Aspen, Colorado: Aspen Institute, 1996) pp.77-88. Retrieved from  http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/example/croc1975.htm  Accessed on 7 May, 2005

Implementing Peace Agreements in Civil Wars: Lessons and Recommendations for Policymakers. IPA Policy Paper Series on Peace Implementation. Center for International Security and Co-operation. Stanford University. May, 2001. Retrieved from  http://www.ipacademy.org/PDF_Reports/Pdf_Report_Implementing.pdf  Accessed on 7 May, 2005

UN intervention in Somalia and Mozambique: why success is not always cast in stone. Global Dialogues. Vol: 5; No: 1; May 2000. Retrieved from  http://www.igd.org.za/pub/g-dialogue/africa/somalia.html  Accessed on 7 May, 2005

Civil War and the Forthcoming

The question to which this report strives to offer an answer however does not refer in particular to either Union or Confederation, but to the entire United States, and to what extent the Civil War revealed a society that was eager to eliminate slavery and create a color-blind society. The answer is relatively simple -- part of the country was convinced that the old way of keeping slaves was the best solution for individual wealth; the other part of the country envisioned a new society, in which free labor would set the basis for economic prosperity and stability, as well as a prosperous, culturally diverse nation. In the end, it was a battle of right vs. injustices, and the right won, with slavery having been abolished, and with the end result being that of a new American society, in which all individuals enjoy the rights of freedom, liberty and equality. Despite the….

McPherson, J.M., Far Cause and Comrades: Why Med Fought in the Civil War, Oxford University Press, 1997, ISBN 0195090233

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By: History.com Editors

Updated: April 20, 2023 | Original: October 15, 2009

The Civil War in the United States began in 1861, after decades of simmering tensions between northern and southern states over slavery, states’ rights and westward expansion. The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 caused seven southern states to secede and form the Confederate States of America; four more states soon joined them. The War Between the States, as the Civil War was also known, ended in Confederate surrender in 1865. The conflict was the costliest and deadliest war ever fought on American soil, with some 620,000 of 2.4 million soldiers killed, millions more injured and much of the South left in ruin.

Causes of the Civil War

In the mid-19th century, while the United States was experiencing an era of tremendous growth, a fundamental economic difference existed between the country’s northern and southern regions.

In the North, manufacturing and industry was well established, and agriculture was mostly limited to small-scale farms, while the South’s economy was based on a system of large-scale farming that depended on the labor of Black enslaved people to grow certain crops, especially cotton and tobacco.

Growing abolitionist sentiment in the North after the 1830s and northern opposition to slavery’s extension into the new western territories led many southerners to fear that the existence of slavery in America —and thus the backbone of their economy—was in danger.

Did you know? Confederate General Thomas Jonathan Jackson earned his famous nickname, "Stonewall," from his steadfast defensive efforts in the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas). At Chancellorsville, Jackson was shot by one of his own men, who mistook him for Union cavalry. His arm was amputated, and he died from pneumonia eight days later.

In 1854, the U.S. Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act , which essentially opened all new territories to slavery by asserting the rule of popular sovereignty over congressional edict. Pro- and anti-slavery forces struggled violently in “ Bleeding Kansas ,” while opposition to the act in the North led to the formation of the Republican Party , a new political entity based on the principle of opposing slavery’s extension into the western territories. After the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Dred Scott case (1857) confirmed the legality of slavery in the territories, the abolitionist John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry in 1859 convinced more and more southerners that their northern neighbors were bent on the destruction of the “peculiar institution” that sustained them. Abraham Lincoln ’s election in November 1860 was the final straw, and within three months seven southern states—South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas—had seceded from the United States.

Outbreak of the Civil War (1861)

Even as Lincoln took office in March 1861, Confederate forces threatened the federal-held Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. On April 12, after Lincoln ordered a fleet to resupply Sumter, Confederate artillery fired the first shots of the Civil War. Sumter’s commander, Major Robert Anderson, surrendered after less than two days of bombardment, leaving the fort in the hands of Confederate forces under Pierre G.T. Beauregard. Four more southern states—Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee—joined the Confederacy after Fort Sumter. Border slave states like Missouri, Kentucky and Maryland did not secede, but there was much Confederate sympathy among their citizens.

Though on the surface the Civil War may have seemed a lopsided conflict, with the 23 states of the Union enjoying an enormous advantage in population, manufacturing (including arms production) and railroad construction, the Confederates had a strong military tradition, along with some of the best soldiers and commanders in the nation. They also had a cause they believed in: preserving their long-held traditions and institutions, chief among these being slavery.

In the First Battle of Bull Run (known in the South as First Manassas) on July 21, 1861, 35,000 Confederate soldiers under the command of Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson forced a greater number of Union forces (or Federals) to retreat towards Washington, D.C., dashing any hopes of a quick Union victory and leading Lincoln to call for 500,000 more recruits. In fact, both sides’ initial call for troops had to be widened after it became clear that the war would not be a limited or short conflict.

The Civil War in Virginia (1862)

George B. McClellan —who replaced the aging General Winfield Scott as supreme commander of the Union Army after the first months of the war—was beloved by his troops, but his reluctance to advance frustrated Lincoln. In the spring of 1862, McClellan finally led his Army of the Potomac up the peninsula between the York and James Rivers, capturing Yorktown on May 4. The combined forces of Robert E. Lee and Jackson successfully drove back McClellan’s army in the Seven Days’ Battles (June 25-July 1), and a cautious McClellan called for yet more reinforcements in order to move against Richmond. Lincoln refused, and instead withdrew the Army of the Potomac to Washington. By mid-1862, McClellan had been replaced as Union general-in-chief by Henry W. Halleck, though he remained in command of the Army of the Potomac.

Lee then moved his troops northwards and split his men, sending Jackson to meet Pope’s forces near Manassas, while Lee himself moved separately with the second half of the army. On August 29, Union troops led by John Pope struck Jackson’s forces in the Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas). The next day, Lee hit the Federal left flank with a massive assault, driving Pope’s men back towards Washington. On the heels of his victory at Manassas, Lee began the first Confederate invasion of the North. Despite contradictory orders from Lincoln and Halleck, McClellan was able to reorganize his army and strike at Lee on September 14 in Maryland, driving the Confederates back to a defensive position along Antietam Creek, near Sharpsburg.

On September 17, the Army of the Potomac hit Lee’s forces (reinforced by Jackson’s) in what became the war’s bloodiest single day of fighting. Total casualties at the Battle of Antietam (also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg) numbered 12,410 of some 69,000 troops on the Union side, and 13,724 of around 52,000 for the Confederates. The Union victory at Antietam would prove decisive, as it halted the Confederate advance in Maryland and forced Lee to retreat into Virginia. Still, McClellan’s failure to pursue his advantage earned him the scorn of Lincoln and Halleck, who removed him from command in favor of Ambrose E. Burnside . Burnside’s assault on Lee’s troops near Fredericksburg on December 13 ended in heavy Union casualties and a Confederate victory; he was promptly replaced by Joseph “Fighting Joe” Hooker , and both armies settled into winter quarters across the Rappahannock River from each other.

After the Emancipation Proclamation (1863-4)

Lincoln had used the occasion of the Union victory at Antietam to issue a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation , which freed all enslaved people in the rebellious states after January 1, 1863. He justified his decision as a wartime measure, and did not go so far as to free the enslaved people in the border states loyal to the Union. Still, the Emancipation Proclamation deprived the Confederacy of the bulk of its labor forces and put international public opinion strongly on the Union side. Some 186,000 Black Civil War soldiers would join the Union Army by the time the war ended in 1865, and 38,000 lost their lives.

In the spring of 1863, Hooker’s plans for a Union offensive were thwarted by a surprise attack by the bulk of Lee’s forces on May 1, whereupon Hooker pulled his men back to Chancellorsville. The Confederates gained a costly victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville , suffering 13,000 casualties (around 22 percent of their troops); the Union lost 17,000 men (15 percent). Lee launched another invasion of the North in June, attacking Union forces commanded by General George Meade on July 1 near Gettysburg, in southern Pennsylvania. Over three days of fierce fighting, the Confederates were unable to push through the Union center, and suffered casualties of close to 60 percent.

Meade failed to counterattack, however, and Lee’s remaining forces were able to escape into Virginia, ending the last Confederate invasion of the North. Also in July 1863, Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant took Vicksburg (Mississippi) in the Siege of Vicksburg , a victory that would prove to be the turning point of the war in the western theater. After a Confederate victory at Chickamauga Creek, Georgia, just south of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in September, Lincoln expanded Grant’s command, and he led a reinforced Federal army (including two corps from the Army of the Potomac) to victory in the Battle of Chattanooga in late November.

Toward a Union Victory (1864-65)

In March 1864, Lincoln put Grant in supreme command of the Union armies, replacing Halleck. Leaving William Tecumseh Sherman in control in the West, Grant headed to Washington, where he led the Army of the Potomac towards Lee’s troops in northern Virginia. Despite heavy Union casualties in the Battle of the Wilderness and at Spotsylvania (both May 1864), at Cold Harbor (early June) and the key rail center of Petersburg (June), Grant pursued a strategy of attrition, putting Petersburg under siege for the next nine months.

Sherman outmaneuvered Confederate forces to take Atlanta by September, after which he and some 60,000 Union troops began the famous “March to the Sea,” devastating Georgia on the way to capturing Savannah on December 21. Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina, fell to Sherman’s men by mid-February, and Jefferson Davis belatedly handed over the supreme command to Lee, with the Confederate war effort on its last legs. Sherman pressed on through North Carolina, capturing Fayetteville, Bentonville, Goldsboro and Raleigh by mid-April.

Meanwhile, exhausted by the Union siege of Petersburg and Richmond, Lee’s forces made a last attempt at resistance, attacking and captured the Federal-controlled Fort Stedman on March 25. An immediate counterattack reversed the victory, however, and on the night of April 2-3 Lee’s forces evacuated Richmond. For most of the next week, Grant and Meade pursued the Confederates along the Appomattox River, finally exhausting their possibilities for escape. Grant accepted Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9. On the eve of victory, the Union lost its great leader: The actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre in Washington on April 14. Sherman received Johnston’s surrender at Durham Station, North Carolina on April 26, effectively ending the Civil War.

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Slavery and the Civil War Essay

Theme essays. diversity, extra credit option. reconstruction, works cited.

During the period of 1820-1860, the life of white and black people in the South depended on developing the Institute of slavery which shaped not only social but also economic life of the region. The Institute of slavery was primarily for the Southern states, and this feature helped to distinguish the South from the other regions of the USA.

Slavery played the key role in shaping the economic and social life of the South because it influenced the trade and economic relations in the region as well as the social and class structure representing slave owners, white farmers without slaves, and slaves as the main labor force in the region.

The development of the South during the period of 1820-1860 was based on growing cotton intensively. To guarantee the enormous exports of cotton, it was necessary to rely on slaves as the main cheap or almost free workforce. The farmers of the South grew different crops, but the economic success was associated with the farms of those planters who lived in the regions with fertile soil and focused on growing cotton basing on slavery.

Thus, the prosperity of this or that white farmer and planter depended on using slaves in his farm or plantation. Slaves working for planters took the lowest social positions as well as free slaves living in cities whose economic situation was also problematic. The white population of the South was divided into slave owners and yeoman farmers who had no slaves.

Thus, having no opportunities to use the advantages of slavery, yeoman farmers relied on their families’ powers, and they were poorer in comparison with planters (Picture 1). However, not all the planters were equally successful in their economic situation. Many planters owned only a few slaves, and they also had to work at their plantations or perform definite duties.

Slaves were also different in their status because of the functions performed. From this point, the social stratification was necessary not only for dividing the Southern population into black slaves and white owners but also to demonstrate the differences within these two main classes (Davidson et al.).

As a result, different social classes had various cultures. It is important to note that slaves were more common features in spite of their status in families, and they were united regarding the culture which was reflected in their religion, vision, and songs. The difference in the social status of the white population was more obvious, and the single common feature was the prejudice and discrimination against slaves.

Picture 1. Yeoman Farmer’s House

The Civil War became the real challenge for the USA because it changed all the structures and institutions of the country reforming the aspects of the political, economic, and social life. Furthermore, the Civil War brought significant losses and sufferings for both the representatives of the Northern and Southern armies.

It is important to note that the situation of the Union in the war was more advantageous in comparison with the position of the Confederacy during the prolonged period of the war actions.

As a result, the South suffered from more significant economic and social changes as well as from extreme losses in the war in comparison with the North’s costs. Thus, the main impact of the Civil War was the abolition of slavery which changed the economic and social structures of the South and contributed to shifting the focus on the role of federal government.

The Civil War resulted in abolishing slavery and preserving the political unity of the country. Nevertheless, these positive outcomes were achieved at the expense of significant losses in the number of population and in promoting more sufferings for ordinary people. A lot of the Confederacy’s soldiers died at the battlefields, suffering from extreme wounds and the lack of food because of the problems with weapon and food provision.

During the war, the Union focused on abolishing slaves who were proclaimed free. Thus, former slaves from the Southern states were inclined to find jobs in the North or join the Union army.

As a result, the army of the Confederacy also began to suffer from the lack of forces (Davidson et al.). Moreover, the situation was problematic off the battlefield because all the issues of food provision and work at plantations and farms challenged women living in the Southern states.

The forces of the Union army were more balanced, and their losses were less significant than in the Southern states. Furthermore, the end of the war did not change the structure of the social life in the North significantly. The impact of the war was more important for the Southerners who had to build their economic and social life without references to slavery.

The next important change was the alternations in the social role of women. Many women had to work at farms in the South and to perform as nurses in the North (Picture 2). The vision of the women’s role in the society was changed in a way.

However, in spite of the fact that the population of the South had to rebuild the social structure and adapt to the new social and economic realities, the whole economic situation was changed for better with references to intensifying the international trade. Furthermore, the abolishment of slavery was oriented to the social and democratic progress in the country.

Picture 2. “Our Women and the War”. Harper’s Weekly, 1862

Diversity is one of the main characteristic features of the American nation from the early periods of its formation. The American nation cannot be discussed as a stable one because the formation of the nation depends on the active migration processes intensifying the general diversity. As a result, the American nation is characterized by the richness of cultures, values, and lifestyles.

This richness is also typical for the early period of the American history when the country’s population was diverse in relation to ethnicity, cultures, religion, and social status. From this point, diversity directly shaped the American nation because the country’s population never was identical.

The Americans respected diversity if the question was associated with the problem of first migrations and the Americans’ difference from the English population. To win independence, it was necessary to admit the difference from the English people, but diversity was also the trigger for conflicts between the Americans, Englishmen, and Frenchmen as well as Indian tribes.

The ethic diversity was not respected by the first Americans. The further importations of slaves to America worsened the situation, and ethnic diversity increased, involving cultural and social diversity.

Diversity was respected only with references to the negative consequences of slave importation. Thus, the Southerners focused on using black slaves for development of their plantations (Davidson et al.). From this point, white planers concentrated on the difference of blacks and used it for discrimination.

Furthermore, slavery also provoked the cultural and lifestyle diversity between the South and the North of the country which resulted in the Civil War because of impossibility to share different values typical for the Southerners and Northerners. Moreover, the diversity in lifestyles of the Southerners was deeper because it depended on the fact of having or not slaves.

Great religious diversity was also typical for the nation. White population followed different branches of Christianity relating to their roots, and black people developed their own religious movements contributing to diversifying the religious life of the Americans (Davidson et al.).

Thus, the aspects of diversity are reflected in each sphere of the first Americans’ life with references to differences in ethnicities, followed religions, cultures, values, lifestyles, and social patterns. This diversity also provoked a lot of conflicts in the history of the nation.

The role of women in the American society changed depending on the most important political and social changes. The periods of reforms and transformations also promoted the changes in the social positions of women. The most notable changes are typical for the period of the Jacksonian era and for the Civil War period.

The changes in the role of women are closely connected with the development of women’s movements during the 1850s and with the focus on women’s powers off the battlefield during the Civil War period.

During the Jacksonian era, women began to play significant roles in the religious and social life of the country. Having rather limited rights, women could realize their potentials only in relation to families and church work. That is why, many women paid much attention to their church duties and responsibilities.

Later, the church work was expanded, and women began to organize special religious groups in order to contribute to reforming definite aspects of the Church’s progress. Women also were the main members of the prayer meetings, and much attention was drawn to the charity activities and assistance to hospitals (Davidson et al.).

Women also played the significant role in the development of revivalism as the characteristic feature of the period. Moreover, the active church work and the focus on forming organizations was the first step to the progress of the women’s rights movements.

It is important to note that the participation of women in the social life was rather limited during a long period of time that is why membership and belonging to different church organizations as well as development of women’s rights movements contributed to increasing the role of women within the society. Proclaiming the necessity of abolishment, socially active women also concentrated on the idea of suffrage which was achieved later.

The period of the 1850s is closely connected with the growth of the women’s rights movements because it was the period of stating to the democratic rights and freedoms within the society (Davidson et al.). The next important event is the Civil War. The war influenced the position of the Southern white and black women significantly, revealing their powers and ability to overcome a lot of challenges.

The end of the Civil War provided women with the opportunity to achieve all the proclaimed ideals of the women’s rights movements along with changing the position of male and female slaves in the American society.

The development of the American nation is based on pursuing certain ideals and following definite values. The main values which are greatly important for the Americans are associated with the notions which had the significant meaning during the periods of migration and creating the independent state. The two main values are opportunity and equality.

These values are also fixed in the Constitution of the country in order to emphasize their extreme meaning for the whole nation.

Opportunity and equality are the values which are shaped with references to the economic and social ideals because all the Americans are equal, and each American should have the opportunity to achieve the individual goal. Nevertheless, in spite of the proclaimed ideals, the above-mentioned values were discussed during a long period of time only with references to the white population of the country.

The other values typical for the Americans are also based not on the religious, moral or cultural ideals but on the social aspects. During the Jacksonian era, the Americans focused on such values as the democratic society. Following the ideals of rights and freedoms, the American population intended to realize them completely within the developed democratic society (Davidson et al.).

Moreover, these ideals were correlated with such values as equality and opportunity. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that for many Americans the notions of democratic society, opportunity, and equality were directly connected with the economic growth. That is why, during long periods of time Americans concentrated on achieving freedoms along with pursuing the economic prosperity.

Thus, it is possible to determine such key values which regulate the social attitudes and inclinations of the Americans as equality and opportunity, freedoms and rights. In spite of the fact the USA was the country with the determined role of religion in the society, moral and religious aspects were not proclaimed as the basic values of the nation because of the prolonged focus of the Americans on their independence and prosperity.

From this point, opportunity, equality, freedoms, and rights are discussed as more significant values for the developed nation than the religious principles. The creation of the state independent from the influence of the British Empire resulted in determining the associated values and ideals which were pursued by the Americans during prolonged periods of the nation’s development.

The period of Reconstruction was oriented to adapting African Americans to the realities of the free social life and to rebuilding the economic structure of the South. The end of the Civil War guaranteed the abolishment of slavery, but the question of black people’s equality to the whites was rather controversial.

That is why, the period of Reconstruction was rather complex and had two opposite outcomes for the African Americans’ further life in the society and for the general economic progress of the states. Reconstruction was successful in providing such opportunities for African Americans as education and a choice to live in any region or to select the employer.

However, Reconstruction can also be discussed as a failure because the issues of racism were not overcome during the period, and the era of slavery was changed with the era of strict social segregation leading to significant discrimination of black people.

The positive changes in the life of African Americans after the Civil War were connected with receiving more opportunities for the social progress. Thus, many public schools were opened for the black population in order to increase the level of literacy (Picture 3). Furthermore, the impossibility to support the Southerners’ plantations without the free work of slaves led to changing the economic focus.

Thus, industrialization of the region could contribute to creating more workplaces for African Americans (Davidson et al.). Moreover, the racial and social equality should also be supported with references to providing more political rights for African Americans.

Reconstruction was the period of observing many black politicians at the American political arena. The question of blacks’ suffrage became one of the most discussed issues. From this point, during the period of Reconstruction African Americans did first steps on the path of equality.

Nevertheless, Reconstruction was also a great failure. The South remained unchanged in relation to the social relations between the whites and blacks. After the Civil War, segregation was intensified. The economic and social pressure as well as discrimination against the blacks was based on the developed concept of racism (Davidson et al.).

The Southerners preserved the prejudiced attitude toward the blacks, and prejudice and discrimination became the main challenge for African Americans in all the spheres of the life.

In spite of definite successes of Reconstruction, African Americans suffered from the results of segregation and discrimination, and they were prevented from changing their economic and social status.

Picture 3. Public Schools

Davidson, James, Brian DeLay, Christine Leigh Heyrman, Mark Lytle, and Michael Stoff. US: A Narrative History . USA: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2020, March 15). Slavery and the Civil War. https://ivypanda.com/essays/slavery-and-the-civil-war/

"Slavery and the Civil War." IvyPanda , 15 Mar. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/slavery-and-the-civil-war/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Slavery and the Civil War'. 15 March.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Slavery and the Civil War." March 15, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/slavery-and-the-civil-war/.

1. IvyPanda . "Slavery and the Civil War." March 15, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/slavery-and-the-civil-war/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Slavery and the Civil War." March 15, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/slavery-and-the-civil-war/.

• Slavery in the Southern Colonies
• American Reconstruction Period
• American History: Reconstruction, 1865 -1877
• The Los Angeles Zoot-Suit Riots and Its Effects
• History of American Foreign Policy
• Literary Works' Views on Slavery in the United States
• The Main Persons in Native American History
• "From Migrant to Acadian: A North American Border People, 1604–1755" by Naomi Griffiths

Military History

Let’s Not Do Another Civil War if We Can Help It, OK?

Three new books show us why the United States should do everything it can to nip the possibility in the bud.

A portion of the border wall between the United States and Mexico in 2021. Credit... Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times

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By Thomas E. Ricks

Thomas E. Ricks, the Book Review’s military history columnist, is the author of nine books. Most of them are about military affairs, but the next, scheduled to be published in June, is a mystery set on the Maine coast titled “Everyone Knows but You.”

• May 19, 2024

As we approach this November’s presidential election, “blood bath” is quickly becoming one of Donald Trump’s favorite new terms . If he does not take the White House, there will be a “blood bath” in the auto industry. President Biden’s immigration policies are causing a “blood bath” at the U.S. border with Mexico. In some corners, this imagery is understood as a threat: What will Trump supporters do if their favored candidate does not win? He has repeatedly suggested that violent unrest could follow his defeat. Would it be a reprise of the American Civil War?

If any contemporary historian can give us a clue, it might be Alan Taylor. In AMERICAN CIVIL WARS: A Continental History, 1850-1873 (Norton, 534 pp., $39.99), Taylor, a University of Virginia historian who has won the Pulitzer Prize twice, takes a broad look at the lead-up to and aftermath of the older conflict, including the way it transformed life in Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean.

Does this wide scope work? Yes and no. I don’t think this book makes us look at the Civil War in a new way, but Taylor is persuasive in his assertion that the American conflict shaped the entire continent. “The United States emerged from the war with a stronger federal government and greater military potential,” he concludes. “Intimidated by that enhanced power, Russians sold Alaska, the Spanish bolted from Santo Domingo and the French withdrew their forces from Mexico.”

“American Civil Wars” also dwells on how the signs of a coming Union victory encouraged the creation of the nation of Canada from a diverse collection of British-held provinces on the northern border of the United States. (Now that the United States is a global power, any civil conflict in America would ripple around the world. Think of the 1973 Arab oil embargo, when lingering divisions over the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal made the U.S. government look weak and distracted; now imagine that on steroids.)

Taylor is a formidable historian and masterly writer. He briskly disposes of some persistent myths about the Civil War. If the fighting really was about states’ rights, he asks, why did the Confederate constitution ban its states from ever abolishing slavery? On the subject of Confederate fears of race mixing, he states flatly that “after centuries of sexually exploiting enslaved women, Southern whites projected their behavior onto Blacks.”

As for anyone who believes that the current turbulence on the U.S.-Mexican border is an anomaly, they will be edified by Taylor’s account of how Texans attacked Mexico for offering freedom to runaway slaves. During the early 1850s, he notes, about 4,000 enslaved people made it across the Texas border to freedom. In response, some 111 Texas Rangers rode across the Rio Grande to “attack, loot and burn the fugitive haven at Piedras Negras.”

After the Civil War, the U.S. Army general Philip Sheridan helped Mexican revolutionaries access 30,000 modern rifles, stockpiling them within easy reach along the Rio Grande in Texas. American weapons manufacturers were eager to sell off their excess inventory, which, Taylor writes, had been “refined in the recent blood bath.”

The historian and retired U.S. Army officer Thomas Ty Smith picks up the story of trouble on the border in THE GARZA WAR IN SOUTH TEXAS: A Military History, 1890-1893 (University of Oklahoma Press, 172 pp., $29.95). Despite all the talk today of an “invasion” coming up from Mexico, his short study is a useful reminder that havoc often has flowed southward across the border. In the early 1890s, the Mexican government was again deeply frustrated with the failure of the American government to stop cross-border incursions by Mexican revolutionaries who enjoyed sanctuary in some parts of Texas.

“The Garza War in South Texas” makes clear that, if there were another violent fracture on this continent today, we’d be lucky to have only two sides to the conflict. Civilian leaders near the border were often at odds with U.S. Army personnel, who in turn, notes Smith, thought many U.S. marshals were overly sympathetic to the revolutionaries. Officials in two Texas border counties brought charges against an Army officer, accusing him of conducting warrantless searches and arresting innocent people in the hunt for rebels. Meanwhile, one of the local scouts employed by the Army was arrested as an insurrectionist.

All civil conflict is complex, but few civil wars were so agonizingly byzantine as the Russian civil war that erupted as World War I ended and the Bolsheviks rose to power. In A NASTY LITTLE WAR: The Western Intervention Into the Russian Civil War (Basic Books, 366 pp., $32), Anna Reid, a former Ukraine correspondent for The Economist and The Daily Telegraph, focuses on the efforts led by France, the United States and, most of all, the British to support anti-Bolshevik forces in that fight.

Despite the book’s title, it was not a small campaign. Some 180,000 soldiers from 16 Allied nations were sent to try to prevent a Red victory. The Americans were fresh-faced newcomers; the British troops, by contrast, were those unfit for duty on the Western Front, “mostly wounded, gassed or otherwise unhealthy,” writes Reid.

No one was happy to be there. Not only did the largely czarist White Army suffer multiple troop rebellions, one of the White units that was led by British officers rose up and killed their Western European commanders. French sailors aboard two ships off the Crimean Peninsula mutinied, pulled down the tricolor, ran up the Red flag and then went ashore to join a pro-Bolshevik demonstration. There was even a renegade German army operating in Estonia, which declined to cooperate with the Allied commanders to whom they had just surrendered in the previous war.

All this insubordination went on despite the extreme acts of violence some used to try to keep order. One of the White generals in Crimea was Yakov Slashchyov, “a psychopathic cocaine addict who rode about with a caged crow attached to his saddle.” On a single morning, he seems to have left the bodies of 200 soldiers “shot in the back of the head” on a train platform. By evening, more corpses had been strung up from the station’s lampposts.

What, if anything, does all this tell us about Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine? “Outsiders,” Reid notes, “often get Russia spectacularly wrong.” But there is another, less apparent lesson to be learned: “Putin will fail for the same reason that the Whites did: because he underestimates the desire for freedom of the non-Russian nations.” A good lesson, too, for anyone today who thinks they can impose their vision of America on others through violence and intimidation.

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NATO allies are inching closer to sending troops into Ukraine to train Ukrainian forces . The move would be another blurring of a previous red line and could draw the United States and Europe more directly into the war.

World’s Nuclear Inspector: Rafael Grossi took over the International Atomic Energy Agency five years ago at what now seems like a far less fraught moment. With atomic fears everywhere, the inspector is edging toward mediator .

Frozen Russian Assets: As much as $300 billion in frozen Russian assets is piling up profits and interest income by the day. Now, Ukraine’s allies are considering how to use those gains to aid Kyiv .

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• Made by History

The Civil War Electoral Strategy That Could Help the Biden Campaign

A ccording to some polls , Joe Biden and the Democrats may be heading towards a grim outcome in November. Not only does the Senate map favor Republicans, the President’s approval ratings are dismal. There’s some indication the Biden team knows it, too. In an effort to change course, they’ve coined and sold “Bidenonomics” with little success, hit reset on the Biden campaign, and are reportedly in the process of unleashing “Darth Brandon” by letting the President go on the attack. The hope is that a more aggressive Biden like the one Americans saw during the State of the Union address may counteract concerns about his age.

Given the stakes of the election, recent polling, and the apparent desperation of the Biden camp, here’s a novel idea: How about resetting their coalition by appealing to disaffected Republicans in the name of national unity? As a token of their seriousness, they should even think about changing their name.

Read more: Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?

As out-of-left-field as it sounds, it wouldn’t be the first time a major party changed its name in advance of a make-or-break election. Indeed, it was this move that just might have saved President Abraham Lincoln’s re-election and the nation from collapse.  

In the election of 1864, with the Civil War still far from over, Lincoln’s re-election was in doubt. As that long year began, he wasn’t sure he would win his party’s nomination, much less the Presidency.

In the spring of 1864, several more radical Republicans moved to replace him with Secretary of the Treasury Salmon Chase. The argument was that Lincoln had moved too slowly on emancipation and had been too conciliatory toward the South when it came to using the full breadth of federal power. Chase, the leader of the radicals, had also been angling for the Presidency from the very start of the war.

Read More: ‘Never Means Never’: A ‘Never Trump’ Republican on Where the Movement Goes Next

Lincoln survived this intra-party campaign, but it was never clear the radical wing of his party would support him. Some anti-Lincoln Republicans would even resuscitate the putsch later that summer by supporting John C. Fremont, the 1856 Republican Presidential candidate, under the banner of their own break-away party, the Radical Democratic Party.

The Democrats were just as fiercely divided about the direction of the party and the nation: Some “War Democrats” supported the continuation of the war; other “Peace Democrats,” also known as “Copperheads,” after the snake, demanded peace with the South, even if it meant breaking up the Union or undoing emancipation.

To add to the Democratic confusion, the party chose former General George McClellan as their standard-bearer. McClellan wasn’t a politician by trade. He was the one-time head of the U.S. army in the east, who had repeatedly clashed with Lincoln earlier in the war. The President finally sacked him after he failed to pursue Robert E. Lee’s army following the battle of Antietam in November of 1862.

The problem with McClellan, as a candidate, was that he tried to chart a middle way between the two factions within the Democratic party. He supported continuing the war and restoring the Union, but he also spoke out against emancipation. Such positions were not just evasive. They also conflicted with the Democratic Party platform — which had been written by Clement Valandignham of Ohio, a notorious “Copperhead,” and which called for settling with the South. As a result, many Democrats who supported the war feared that McClellan just might be a Trojan horse for the “Peace” faction.

So, in a bid to capture disaffected “War Democrats,” national Republican leaders did away with their name.  

They called their national convention, which met in Baltimore of that year, the “National Union” convention and rebranded themselves as a “National Union Party.” The name change arose partly from a shared loyalty not to party but to the sanctity of the U.S. government; yet it also arose from the fact that Unionist delegates from border states or occupied states like Arkansas and Tennessee were in attendance and had been invited to give speeches. Many of these delegates had never been Republicans and felt they could never support a Republican or “Abolition” Party but could justify support of a new Lincoln-led party dedicated to the idea of “Union.”

That fall, Lincoln ran not as a Republican, but as the head of the “National Union Party.” The gesture was mostly symbolic, but it reflected a strategic attempt to forge a new electoral coalition by appealing to national unity. For all intents and purposes, the party remained dominated by Republicans but the name change gave war-supporting Democrats and Southern Unionists the political cover needed to join them.

Read More: Lincoln Saved American Democracy. We Can Too

To better make their case, the new party even chose Andrew Johnson, a Southern Unionist from Tennessee and a one-time Democrat, as Lincoln’s new running mate. 

After the war’s end and Lincoln’s assassination, Republicans would come to rue choosing Johnson as he worked to undermine the GOP’s Reconstruction efforts. 

But, as an electoral move it worked. By adopting the “National Union” label, the party essentially took old affiliations off the ballot and made the election a referendum on the sanctity of the American Union. 

Lincoln and other national Republicans won big. The President tallied 221 electoral college votes to McClellan’s 21 and won the popular vote by a margin of roughly 10 percent. While many state parties retained the Republican name, they did just as well. Republicans maintained a majority in the Senate and increased their majority in the House. In turn, the war continued, the Confederacy surrendered, and slavery died — and all in a matter of months. The union prevailed, but had Lincoln lost or not received the mandate that he did it is unclear how the final months of the war would have gone.

Such a landslide result is probably out of reach for Biden and the Democrats. American politics have become deeply polarized and entrenched, producing national elections which hang on razor-thin margins. Yet one lesson to come out of the Republican primary is that anti-Trump, or "Never-Trump,” voters in the GOP still exist. Nikki Haley may have lost, even decisively so, but polling shows that there is a Trump sized gap in the party where old Reaganesque Republicans used to be. Despite attempts to whitewash the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, attacking American democracy has proved too much for some Republicans, including Trump’s former Vice President, Mike Pence.

Disaffected Republicans, in other words, are out there if the Democrats could reach them. This raises the question: is it time to revive the National Union Party?

Like Lincoln and the Republicans in 1864, the fate of America may depend on it.

Bennett Parten is an assistant professor of history at Georgia Southern University. His writing has appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Conversation, Civil War Monitor, Zocalo Public Square, and The Washington Post, among others.

Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here . Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors .

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Write to Bennett Parten / Made by History at [email protected]