When was the American Civil War?

The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, with a battle at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The war ended when General Robert E. Lee, of the Army of the Confederacy, surrendered on May 9, 1865. The last shot was fired in Texas in June of 1865.

The United States Civil War began as a fight over slavery. The Southern states seceded from the Northern states after Abraham Lincoln was elected to the Presidency. The Northern states became the Union, and were focused on stopping the spread of slavery. The Southern states formed the Confederacy with the intent of keeping laws regarding slavery as they were.