The American Civil War, or War between the States, started in 1861 shortly after the election of Republican

President Abraham Lincoln. For some time, the delicate political balance reached between the Northern, rapidly
industrializing states and the Southern, plantation-based states had been a source of great tension, as the Northern
population grew much faster. The election of an openly anti-slavery president led 11 Southern States to declare
secession and create a new country called the Confederated States of America. Things escalated toward open
warfare when the US President refused to recognize it.

Shortest and most effective summary of ACW

Lincoln elected was final straw; several Southern states leave Union and form Confederacy.

It wasn't, however, a United North against a United South.

Confederates attacked Fort Sumter in April 1861, the first shots fired of Civil War.

Although several battles occur in several states, majority occurred in Virginia.

4 long, bloody years later in April 1865, Confederates under Robert E. Lee of Army of Virginia surrendered to
Union under U. S . Grant of Army of Potomac, the beginning of the end of the war. (these were the largest forces to
surrender).

Official end of Civil War was announced in August 1866.

It is said that North won the battle because the industrial, but in my opinion, surrender of Robert E. Lee is a part of
the victory.

The reason (slavery)

The Civil War started because of intractable differences between the free and slave states over the
national government's right to abolish slavery in areas that had not yet become states. Seven slave
states in the deep South seceded and created the Confederate States of America after Abraham Lincoln
was elected as the first Republican president in 1860 on a platform promising to keep slavery out of the
territories.
As the nation developed the North and the South developed along two very different lines and two very different cultural
identities emerged. Northern cities began rapidly industrializing while the Southern climate allowed for large plantations of
labor-intensive crops. As a result, one half of the country didn't rely on slaves while the other half had become economically
dependent on them.
In 1793, Eli Whitney's cotton gin caused the slave trade in the South to explode, while in the North a growing abolitionist
movement was taking root. In 1819, there were 11 slave free states and 11 slave states, a perfect balance.
In 1854, the Republican party was formed, and Abraham Lincoln emerged as a leading figure.

For 4 million individuals living in America, this wasn't about political intrigue or party alignment. It was about the basic human
right to be free. Men, women and children were stolen from their homelands and brought to the American continent where for
generations they were considered to be property, forced to live in poverty and work from sunrise to sunset. Families were
separated and parents could often only watch as their children were auctioned off, never to be seen again. Thousands of slaves
took the risk of running away and abolitionists in the North helped many escape by the underground railroad. As bounty hunters
entered the North to chase them down. Leading figures within the abolitionist movement included many significant free black
men and women.
Abraham Lincoln knew that slavery was a moral evil and he regularly spoke out against it in powerful speeches that helped him
rise through the ranks of the new Republican Party. He most famously declared in 1858 that one day, slavery in America would
end. However, even Lincoln was cautious in his opposition. He didn't want to outlaw it entirely but simply prevent its expansion.
In October, 1859 one abolitionist decided he tried to single-handedly take down slavery by force. He was John Brown. He
planned to seize arms from an armory in the town of Harper's ferry, free the slaves there and continue South inciting a major
slave uprising along the way, a noble cause, a bad plan, and terrible execution. Brown's van took the armory and some hostages
but quickly surrounded by one Robert E. Lee. Brown was captured, and a couple of months later, he was executed for treason.
Northerners sympathized with Brown, but Southerners thought many other Northerners like John Brown will do this action one
day. They are coming!
Northerners like Lincoln had made some of the powerful speeches at that time. And it’s likely that Lincoln would become the
president for the South. When the final result came out, Lincoln had won the election. The South was very terrified that if
Lincoln would take away their slaves. So Lincoln, himself, tried to calm their fear. He repeatedly said he won’t take away their
slaves. Then the slave States ceased from the union one by one. And the confederate states of America was founded.