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Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809-April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States. He led the country through the Civil War and worked to end slavery. His life was cut short early in his second term when he was assassinated.

Abraham Lincoln was born to uneducated farmers. They lived in a one-room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky. The family later moved to southern Indiana. Throughout Lincoln's life, he demonstrated that anyone can achieve greatness. But it requires dedication and hard work. Lincoln attended school for no more than a year. He was an reader, however. He did not attend law school. Instead, he studied on his own. He became an attorney in 1836.

As a lawyer, Lincoln earned a reputation for being clever, fair, and honest. Five years after moving to Springfield, Illinois, he married Mary Todd. They eventually had four children: Robert, Eddie, Willie, and Tad.

In 1834, Lincoln won the first of four elections to the Illinois State Legislature. He then served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1847 to 1849. In 1858, he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate. During the race, he debated Stephen Douglas seven times. Lincoln gained national attention for his skills as an . Two years after losing the Senate race, he made a remarkable comeback. He was elected president.

Defender of the Union

MPI/GETTY IMAGES

Lincoln was inaugurated in 1861. At the time, there were rising tensions in the U.S. The country was split over states' rights and slavery. President Lincoln opposed slavery. So did many lawmakers in the North. But Southern landowners depended on slave labor for their farms. They demanded that slavery remain legal. Within months of Lincoln's taking office, seven states broke away from the Union. They formed the Confederate States of America. Later, four more states joined the Confederacy. Lincoln was determined to keep the union . But he knew that it likely meant going to war with the states that had .

The North and South fought the Civil War. It lasted four years. It remains the deadliest conflict ever fought by Americans. An estimated 620,000 soldiers died in the fighting. That was about 2% of the country's population. The bloodiest battle of the war took place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was fought from July 1 to 3, 1863. More than 50,000 Union and Confederate troops died.

Months after the battle, a cemetery was created to honor the Union soldiers who had died. The dedication was held on November 19, 1863. President Lincoln attended the ceremony. There, in front of 15,000 people, he delivered the Gettysburg Address. It is now considered a key moment in U.S. history. In the speech, Lincoln explained why it was important to preserve the union. He said that the U.S. represented the ideas of democracy and self-government. Lincoln promised that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

The Great Emancipator

As the Civil War raged on, the end of slavery became a key war aim for Lincoln. On January 1, 1863, he signed the Emancipation emancipation the act of setting someone free (noun) Your emancipation from your parents comes when you turn 18. Proclamation. The document freed the slaves in the states that had seceded from the Union. Lincoln later played a major role in the addition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment formally slavery in the U.S. It was passed by Congress on January 31, 1865. The states the amendment on December 6, 1865. Lincoln did not live to see the ratification.

Lincoln was reelected in 1864. The Civil War was still being fought. But Lincoln called for the North and the South to forgive each other. "With malice toward none; with charity for all," he said in his second inaugural address. It was delivered on March 4, 1865. "Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan." Lincoln urged all Americans "to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

The following month, on April 9, Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union general Ulysses S. Grant. The Civil War was coming to an end. The U.S. would remain intact as one nation. Lincoln had accomplished his goal. But on April 14, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln was attending a play at Ford's Theatre, in Washington, D.C. Upon his death, Lincoln's secretary of war, Edwin M. Stanton, is believed to have said, "Now he belongs to the ages."

Today, Abraham Lincoln is widely revered as one of the greatest U.S. presidents. His face is on the penny, the $5 bill, and Mount Rushmore, in South Dakota. The Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, D.C., is one of the most visited monuments in the capital. Across the U.S. and around the world, people continue to look to Lincoln as an inspiration.

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Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809-April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States. He led the country through the Civil War and worked to end slavery. His life was cut short early in his second term when he...

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Historians see Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, as one of the country's greatest leaders. During the American Civil War Lincoln promised to save the Union. Known as the Great Emancipator, he also ended slavery in the United States.

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Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. Learn about his biography, the Civil War, and his life story.

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Kids learn about the biography of Frederick Douglass an enslaved person who taught himself to read and then became a leader in fighting for the civil rights of African-Americans and women.

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In the years leading up to the Civil War, Frederick Douglass (February 1818—February 20, 1895) was the most powerful speaker and writer of the abolitionist movement. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland. He was raised by…

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His brilliant speaking and writing made Frederick Douglass a leader of the movement to abolish slavery. Douglass was once enslaved himself. He was the first African American...

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Go here to watch avideo about Harriet Tubman.

Biography

Occupation: Nurse, Civil Rights Activist

Born: 1820 in Dorchester County, Maryland

Died: March 10, 1913 in Auburn, New York

Best known as: A leader in the Underground Railroad

Biography:

Where did Harriet Tubman grow up?

Harriet Tubman was born intoslavery on a plantation in Maryland. Historians think she was born in 1820, or possibly 1821, but birth records weren't kept by most enslavers. Her birth name was Araminta Ross, but she took the name of her mother, Harriet, when she was thirteen.

Life as a Slave

Life as an enslaved person was difficult. Harriet first lived in a one-room cabin with her family that included eleven children. When she was only six years old, she was loaned out to another family where she helped take care of a baby. She was sometimes beaten and all she got to eat was table scraps.

Harriet Tubman
by H. Seymour Squyer

Later Harriet worked a number of jobs on the plantation such as plowing fields and loading produce into wagons. She became strong doing manual labor that included hauling logs and driving oxen.

At the age of thirteen Harriet received a horrible head injury. It happened when she was visiting the town. An enslaver tried to throw an iron weight at one of his enslaved, but hit Harriet instead. The injury nearly killed her and caused her to have dizzy spells and blackouts for the rest of her life.

The Underground Railroad

During this time there were states in the northern United States where slavery was outlawed. The enslaved in the South would try to escape to the North using theUnderground Railroad. This wasn't a real railroad. It was a number of safe homes (called stations) that hid the enslaved as they traveled north. The people that helped enslaved people along the way were called conductors. The enslaved would move from station to station at night, hiding in the woods or sneaking onto trains until they finally reached the north and freedom.

Harriet Escapes

In 1849 Harriet decided to escape. She would use the Underground Railroad. After a long and scary trip she made it to Pennsylvania and was finally free.

Leading Others to Freedom

In 1850 the Fugitive Slave Act was passed. This meant that the formerly enslaved could be taken from free states and returned to their owners. In order to be free, formerly enslaved people now had to escape to Canada. Harriet wanted to help others, including her family, to safety in Canada. She joined the Underground Railroad as a conductor.

Harriet became famous as an Underground Railroad conductor. She led nineteen different escapes from the south and helped around 300 of the enslaved to escape. She became known as "Moses" because, like the Moses in the Bible, she led her people to freedom.

Harriet was truly brave. She risked her life and freedom to help others. She also helped her family, including her mother and father, to escape. She was never caught and never lost one of the enslaved.

The Civil War

Harriet's bravery and service did not end with the Underground Railroad, she also helped during theCivil War. She helped to nurse injured soldiers, served as a spy for the north, and even helped on a military campaign that led to the rescue of over 750 enslaved people.

Later in Life

After the Civil War, Harriet lived in New York with her family. She helped poor and sick people. She also spoke out on equal rights for blacks and women.

Interesting Facts about Harriet Tubman

Her nickname as a child was "Minty".

She was a very religious woman having learned about the Bible from her mother.

Harriet bought a house in Auburn, New York for her parents after helping them to escape from the south.

Harriet married John Tubman in 1844. He was a free black man. She married again in 1869 to Nelson Davis.

She was so successful in helping the enslaved to escape that, at one point, Southern enslavers offered a reward of $40,000 for her capture.

Activities

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Read a longer detailedbiography of Harriet Tubman.

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Go here to watch avideo about Harriet Tubman.

More Civil Rights Heroes:

Susan B. Anthony
Cesar Chavez
Frederick Douglass
Mohandas Gandhi
Helen Keller
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Nelson Mandela
Thurgood Marshall
Rosa Parks
Jackie Robinson
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Mother Teresa
Sojourner Truth
Harriet Tubman
Booker T. Washington
Ida B. Wells

More women leaders:

Works Cited

Back to Biography for Kids

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Go here to watch avideo about Harriet Tubman. Biography Occupation: Nurse, Civil Rights Activist Born: 1820 in Dorchester County, Maryland Died: March 10, 1913 in Auburn, New York Best known as: A leader in the Underground Railroad Biography: Where did Harriet Tubman grow up? Harriet Tubman was born intoslavery on a plantation in Maryland.

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Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in the southern United States. She then helped lead many other enslaved people to freedom. She also served the Union during the American Civil War.

Harriet Tubman was born in about 1820 in Dorchester county, Maryland. She was one of nine children of a family of enslaved people. Her name at first was Araminta Ross. She later changed her first name to Harriet, which was her mother's name.

In about 1844 Harriet married a free African American named John Tubman. In 1849, after hearing that she was to be sold, she escaped to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, without her husband.

In Pennsylvania Tubman became a "conductor" for the Underground Railroad. The railroad was a secret network that helped enslaved people find their way to freedom. By 1857 she had freed dozens of enslaved people, including her own parents. She said that she "never lost a passenger," even though slaveholders offered large rewards for her capture.

During the American Civil War, Tubman went to South Carolina with the Union Army. She served as a nurse and a scout. She even led raids against the Confederates.

After the Civil War Tubman settled in Auburn, New York, with her parents. There she worked for racial justice and also for women's rights. She believed that the two struggles were closely linked. In 1908 she opened a home for aged and poor African Americans. Harriet Tubman died in Auburn on March 10, 1913.

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Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in the southern United States. She then helped lead many other enslaved people to freedom. She also served the Union during the American...

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History for kids - Free history network for kids

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Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was born into northern slavery in Maryland in 1820 and her sense of independence led her to escape in 1849.

She devoted her life to helping to rescue other slaves, including her own family and non-family members.

She worked with the 'Underground Railroad' which included hidden routes and homes to let escaped slaves move from location to location, offering food, shelter, and clothes as they headed to freedom.

Tubman played a major role in the abolitionist movement to allow Black Americans their freedom.

Harriet Tubman Facts for Kids

Harriet was born into slavery in Maryland.

She escaped and became a conductor on the Underground Railroad.

She helped over 300 slaves escape to freedom.

During the Civil War, she worked as a nurse and spy.

Harriet was the first woman to lead an armed expedition.

She donated land to build a home for the elderly.

Harriet Tubman is remembered as a hero and icon.

Traumatic Childhood as a Slave

As part of a slave family, Harriet witnessed and experienced a lot of violence as well as the separation of her various family members as they were sold into slavery to other plantations.

The violence that she experienced caused her to have severe seizures and headaches for the rest of her life, based on a head injury she received when she refused to help a slave owner capture another slave.

What Was The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad, but a secret network of people who helped slaves escape to freedom.

Harriet Tubman was a leader in this network, risking her life to help hundreds of slaves escape to the North.

Escaping and Leading the Underground Railroad

Tubman escaped slavery in 1849 and headed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, using the Underground Railroad for her escape.

Once she was there, she set about a personal mission to help other members of her family to escape, which eventually became a mission for all other slaves.

She was given the title of 'Conductor' of the Underground Railroad and was so successful that many called her "General Tubman" as well as "Moses" for her leadership qualities.

Underground Railroad Route to Canada

By 1850, there was a passage of the "Fugitive Slaves Law" which allowed punishment for anyone who assisted in the escape of a slave and allowed slaves that escaped to the north to be captured and returned to their owners.

The change in dynamics meant a change in the ways that they had to help in freeing slaves.

Tubman changed the route of the Underground Railroad so that it was moved to Canada, where slavery was against the law.

Harriet Tubman's Allies: Douglass and Brown

During her time as an abolitionist, Harriet became friends with other members such as Frederick Douglass, who was also known to help in the Underground Railroad effort.

John Brown was another abolitionist that she came to know, although he promoted more violent methods for freedom than Tubman.

Harriet Tubman: Civil War Hero, Abolitionist, and Caretaker

Harriet helped in the Civil War effort as a cook and a nurse and helped by being an armed scout and spy for the Northern troops.

Tubman was the first woman to be the leader of an armed expedition and she led a group in the Combahee River Raid which freed over 700 South Carolina slaves.

Although Harriet became a famous voice for the abolitionist movement, she never did well financially. In 1859, Senator William H. Seward, also an abolitionist, sold Tubman some land in the country area of Auburn, New York.

The home became the haven for her family and friends as she cared for as many people as she could.

Generosity, National Recognition, and Commemoration

When author and admirer, Sarah H. Bradford, wrote Tubman's biography "Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman", the proceeds when to Harriet and her family.

Even with her poor economic condition, Tubman freely gave to those in need. In 1903 she donated a piece of her land to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and in 1908 The Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged was opened on the site.

In a survey taken near the end of the 20th Century, Tubman was listed as one of the most famous civilians in pre-Civil War American history.

The first two were Betsy Ross and Paul Revere. When Tubman passed away she was buried with full military honors at Auburn's Fort Hill Cemetery.

There are dozens of schools across the country that bear her name along with the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn and the Harriet Tubman Museum in Cambridge.

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Harriet Tubman was born into northern slavery in Maryland in 1820 and her sense of independence led her to escape in 1849. She devoted her life to helping to rescue other slaves, including her own family and non-family members.

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American Civil War

Top left: William Rosecrans at Stones River, Tennessee; top right: Confederate prisoners at Gettysburg; bottom: Battle of Fort Hindman, Arkansas

Date

April 12, 1861 - April 9, 1865 (last shot ended May, 1865)

Location

Result

The Union win

Belligerents

United States of America

Confederate States of America

Commanders and leaders

Abraham Lincoln
Ulysses S. Grant
George B. McClellan
William T. Sherman
Winfield Scott
Henry Halleck
George G. Meade
Joseph Hooker
Benjamin F. Butler
Philip Sheridan
William Rosecrans
George H. Thomas
John Pope
Edward Canby

Nathaniel P. Banks

Jefferson Davis
Robert E. Lee
Joseph E. Johnston
P. G. T. Beauregard
A.S. Johnston
Samuel Cooper
Braxton Bragg
John Bell Hood
Stonewall Jackson
J.E.B. Stuart
Jubal Early
James Longstreet
Edmund K. Smith
John C. Pemberton

Richard Taylor

Strength

2,100,000

1,064,000

Casualties and losses

140,414 killed in action
~ 365,000 total dead
275,200 wounded

72,524 killed in action
~ 260,000 total dead
137,000+ wounded

The American Civil War (1861-1865) was a civil war in the United States of America. It is sometimes called "The War Between the States." The war was fought because eleven Southern states wanted to leave the United States of America. They formed the Confederate States of America, also called "the Confederacy". The U.S. government and the states that remained loyal to it were called "the Union".

The main cause of the war was slavery. Slavery was common in the Southern states, including all 11 that joined the Confederate states. It was illegal in most of the Northern states. The Confederate states tried to leave the Union after Abraham Lincoln, who disliked slavery, was elected President of the United States. The Union believed that it was illegal for the states to break away. Five states where slavery was legal stayed in the Union. These were called the " border states". The Union did not plan to abolish slavery at first, but in 1862 this became one of their goals.

The war began on April 12, 1861 when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter, a fort in South Carolina held by Union soldiers. It lasted four years and caused much damage in the South. Up until 1862 the war was fought mostly in the Northern states, but afterwards it was mostly fought in the Southern states. After four years of fighting, the Union won the war. After the Union won, slavery was made illegal everywhere in the United States.

Background

When the United States of America was founded in 1776, most states allowed slavery. But over the next 84 years, the Northern states decided that slavery was a bad thing and banned it. The Southern states kept slavery legal. Slaves from Africa grew cotton in those states, which made a lot of money.

The United States became divided into slave and free states. By 1860, those states had long been growing more angry at each other. They had been arguing over whether slavery should be allowed in the lands to the west. In the late 1850s, there was fighting in Kansas between people who wanted to allow slavery in the Kansas area and people who wanted it banned.

Abraham Lincoln from the Republican Party won the 1860 United States presidential election. Lincoln did not yet want to ban slavery. He thought that banning it would damage the South. But Lincoln and the Republican Party disliked slavery and did not want it to spread to the west.

Lincoln became president on March 4, 1861. After the election, seven Southern states declared their independence from the Union. The outgoing U.S. president, James Buchanan, said this was against the law, but did nothing to stop them. Lincoln and his Republican party treated this secession as a rebellion. No country ever recognized the Confederacy as its own, separate nation. This was because of diplomacy on the part of the Union, anti-slavery feelings in Europe, and the northern blockade of southern ports.

The first seven states to join the Confederacy were South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. Four others joined after fighting began: Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina. The Confederacy claimed Kentucky and Missouri belonged to them, but these states never joined the Confederacy. Kentucky, Missouri and Maryland were slave states that tried to avoid taking sides. Delaware supported the Union despite being a slave state. Also, the western counties of Virginia chose to remain in the Union, creating a new state called West Virginia.

Fighting begins

Fighting started when the Confederates bombarded Fort Sumter, a Union Army fort. Lincoln then asked the Union states to raise soldiers to fight the Confederates.

The Confederate States claimed that they owned all forts and other federal buildings in the South. Fort Sumter was in South Carolina - one of the Confederate States. However, the fort was controlled by the Union. On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces attacked the fort. They forced the Union soldiers inside the fort to surrender. After this, President Lincoln asked every Union state for volunteers to join the Union Army. Quickly, four more southern slave states joined with the Confederates instead of supplying forces to fight them.

The blockade by the United States Navy stopped the Confederacy from selling its cotton and other goods. It also made it harder for them to buy weapons and military supplies.

The American Civil War was fought in three important land areas, or " theaters". The Eastern theater included all land east of the Appalachian Mountains. The Western theater included everything between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River and along the river. The Trans-Mississippi theater included territory west of the Mississippi river.

Both the United States and the Confederacy had their capital cities in the Eastern theater. Washington D.C. had been the capital of the U.S. since 1800. When the South seceded, it first named Montgomery, Alabama but soon changed to Richmond, Virginia as the capital of the Confederate States. Richmond and Washington are only about 90 miles (145 km) apart. One of the first battles of the war was fought in Virginia. This First Battle of Bull Run happened on July 21, 1861. The Confederates won the battle. The Union Army of the Potomac then tried to capture Richmond in the Peninsula Campaign during the spring of 1862. At this time, Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia and defeated the Union army. He then won the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862. Lee tried to win the war by invading Maryland. When he lost the Battle of Antietam, he retreated back to Virginia.

There was much naval warfare in the American Civil War but the Union navy was much stronger. Lincoln put the Confederates under a , which meant the Union navy would not let any ships into or out of southern ports. The Confederates used ships called blockade runners to bring things from Europe. The things the Confederates brought included weapons. The navies of each side also fought on the rivers. The ships included ironclads, which were protected by iron on their sides, and cottonclads, which used cotton along its sides. During the Battle of Hampton Roads, the Confederate ironclad Virginia fought against the Union ironclad Monitor. This was the first time in world history that two ironclads fought each other.

In the Western theater, much of the fighting happened along the Mississippi River. Ulysses S. Grant was an important Union general in the west. The Confederates tried to send their soldiers into the state of Kentucky during the summer of 1861. During the early months of 1862, the Union army made the Confederates retreat from Kentucky and from western Tennessee. The Confederates tried to recapture western Tennessee by attacking Grant's army at the Battle of Shiloh. Grant won the battle. The Confederates then tried to send their soldiers into eastern Kentucky during the fall of 1862. They left Kentucky after losing the Battle of Perryville.

The North won control of almost all of the Mississippi River. This was by capturing the cities along the river during the fall of 1862 and spring of 1863. However, the Confederacy still held Vicksburg, an important city and fort. If they held the city, the Confederates could move soldiers and supplies from one side of the river to the other. Grant started the Siege of Vicksburg during the month of May 1863. The siege continued for a long time. On July 4, 1863, the Confederates in Vicksburg surrendered to Grant. This was one of the turning points in the war, because it divided the Confederacy into two parts.

There were also battles west of the Mississippi river valley, in the Trans-Mississippi theatre. For example, two important battles were the Battle of Wilson's Creek and the Battle of Pea Ridge. The Confederates tried to invade New Mexico during February and March 1862 but they were defeated at the Battle of Glorieta Pass. After the Union captured Vicksburg, this area became separated from the rest of the Confederate states. Other battles happened in this area after the capture of Vicksburg.

During the siege of Vicksburg in the west, another turning point came in the east. After winning some battles, Lee decided to invade the North again. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia went into Pennsylvania. The Confederate Army met the Union Army near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The two armies fought the Battle of Gettysburg. This battle lasted for three days: July 1 to 3, 1863. More soldiers died at Gettysburg than in any other Civil War battle. The Union won the battle. This stopped the Confederate Army's invasion into the North. Lee and his troops were pushed back into the South.

After this, President Lincoln decided that Grant was his best general. He put Grant in control of all the Union armies. Lincoln also made William T. Sherman the general in charge of the Union troops in Georgia. Grant led many attacks on Lee's army. These battles were made up the Overland Campaign. Meanwhile, Sherman burned Atlanta and Savannah. He did this to try to make the South weaker and to make it harder for Southern people to supply the Confederate Army with food and other necessities. Sherman then marched north through South Carolina and North Carolina. Confederate general Joseph E. Johnston attacked Sherman at the Battle of Bentonville. Sherman won the battle.

Lee held out as long as he could in Virginia. Eventually he decided that he had too few soldiers to keep on fighting the Union, which had more soldiers and supplies. Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865, near Appomattox Court House. After Lee surrendered, many other Confederate armies surrendered also. The last Confederate general to surrender was Brigadier General Stand Watie. He surrendered on June 23, 1865, in Oklahoma.

After the war ended, President Lincoln pardoned all of the Confederate soldiers. This meant the Confederate soldiers would not be arrested or punished for fighting against the Union. The southern states would be allowed to rejoin the United States again. However, some Confederates did not want to return to the United States. Some of these people moved to México or Brazil.

During the war, inflation was a problem in the Union and a bigger problem in the Confederacy whose government paid for the war by printing a large amount of paper money. Prices went up and everything became more expensive. Many people could not afford the higher prices and went hungry because of this. This was one thing that helped lead to the Confederacy's surrender.

After the war

Many soldiers on both sides died during the war. Most of the war was fought in the South. Many railroads, farms, houses, and other things were destroyed and most people there became very poor. The period after the war, called Reconstruction, lasted from the end of the war until 1877. The Union Army stayed in some Southern states, making them occupied territory. Three important amendments were added on to the United States Constitution. The amendments were proposed (or suggested) by the U.S. government. Although not every American supported them, the amendments got enough support to pass:

The 13th Amendment said that slavery is not allowed anywhere in the United States. This completed the work of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The 14th Amendment made it clear that all people born in the United States were citizens with equal rights.

The 15th Amendment said that people in the United States could not be kept from voting because of their race.

After the war, some of the Union Army's leaders went into politics. Generals Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Harrison, and McKinley became presidents. Other veterans were elected to other offices.

The Amnesty Act of 1872 restored the rights to vote and to hold political office for most of the former members of the Confederacy. Some of them also became politicians.

Related Pages

Images for kids

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American Civil War Top left: William Rosecrans at Stones River, Tennessee; top right: Confederate prisoners at Gettysburg; bottom: Battle of Fort Hindman, Arkansas Date April 12, 1861 - April 9, 1865 (last shot ended May, 1865) Location Result The Union win Belligerents United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders and leaders Abraham Lincoln Ulysses S.

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Civil War for Kids: Battle of Fort Sumter

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Kids learn about the Battle of Fort Sumter, South Carolina. A major event that started American Civil War.

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Kids learn about the Battle of Antietam during the Civil War. First major battle to take place on Union soil.

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The Battle of Gettysburg

Go here to watch avideo about the Battle of Gettysburg.

Battle of Gettysburg
by Courier & Ives

History >> Civil War

The Battle of Gettysburg took place on July 1-3, 1863 in and near the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This battle was one of the most important battles of the Civil War for the North. Robert E. Lee had invaded the North and was trying to defeat the Union Army once and for all. However, the Union Army held him off and sent him retreating. This was a major turning point in the war.

The Leaders

The Confederate Army was led by General Robert E. Lee along with General's Longstreet and Pickett. The Union Army was led by General George Meade.

The Battle

The Battle took place over three days. On the first day the armies were still coming together. The Confederates outnumbered the Union the first day and caused them to retreat through the town of Gettysburg to the south side of town. General Lee wanted his men to continue the attack and finish off the Union troops. However, his men delayed and the Union had the opportunity to dig in and set up their defenses.

By the second day, the armies from both sides were now at full force. The Union had around 94,000 soldiers and the Confederates around 72,000. Lee attacked and there was fierce fighting throughout the day with both sides taking heavy losses. The Union lines held.

First page of John Hay's
draft of the Gettysburg Address
from the Library of Congress

The third day, General Lee decided to make an all or nothing attack. He felt if he could win this battle, the South would win the war. He sent General Pickett, with 12,500 men, on a direct charge at the heart of the Union Army. This famous attack is called Pickett's Charge. Pickett's men were defeated with over half of them injured or killed. General Lee and the Confederate Army retreated.

The Battle of Gettysburg was the deadliest battle of the Civil War. There were around 46,000 casualties including nearly 8,000 deaths.

After the Battle

General Meade and the Union Army were exhausted and had many casualties and deaths of their own to deal with. They did not pursue Lee's Army. President Lincoln was disappointed that Meade did not pursue General Lee as he felt the entire Confederate army could have been defeated and the war ended that day.

Gettysburg Address

Later that year, on November 19, 1863, President Lincoln attended the dedication of the Soldier's National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His speech was short and lasted only two minutes. Not much was thought of the speech at the time, but today it is considered one of the greatest speeches ever given.

Click here for the full text of theGettysburg Address.

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Civil War for Kids: The Battle of Gettysburg

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Kids learn about the Battle of Gettysburg; major event in the American Civil War.

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The Battles of 1861 and 1862

First Battle of Iron Ships of War
by Henry Bill

History >> Civil War

After the first shot was fired at the Battle of Fort Sumter, the American Civil War would escalate. Many more battles would be fought over the next few years.

First Battle of Bull Run

This was the first major land battle of the war. It took place on July 21, 1861 near the city of Manassas, Virginia. General Irvin McDowell led the Union troops against P.T. Beauregard's Confederate Army. The goal was to capture the Confederate capitol of Richmond, Virginia.

The Union forces were doing well at first until reinforcements came for the south. The Confederate Army started to gain ground and soon the Union forces were fleeing.

The Capture of Fort Donelson

On February 14-15, 1862, the Union Army under Ulysses S. Grant captured Fort Donelson from the Confederates. This is the first major Union victory in the war and opened up a route for the Union Army into Northern Alabama.

The Battle of the Monitor and Merrimac

CSS Virginia
by Clary Ray

This was one of the most significant naval battles during the civil war primarily because of the new kinds of warships used. It was fought on March 8-9, 1862 near Hampton Roads, Virginia. The Monitor and Merrimac were the first iron clad warships. This meant that instead of just being made of wood, like all the ships before them, they had hard iron on the outside making them very durable against cannon fire. These new ships could easily defeat wooden ships and changed the way navy warships were made around the world. In the actual battle, both ships survived and the fight was largely inconclusive.

Battle of Shiloh

Fought in Tennessee on April 6-7, 1862, theBattle of Shiloh was the largest battle fought in the western part of the country. The Confederate Army, led by General's Albert Johnston and P.T. Beauregard, attacked the Union Army led by General Ulysses S. Grant. They won the first day, however, General Johnston was killed and they stopped the attack. The next day reinforcements arrived for the North. The North counterattacked and drove back the Confederate Army. Both sides suffered heavy losses. There were around 20,000 casualties and 3500 deaths in this battle.

The Battle of New Orleans

The city of New Orleans was the largest city in the Confederacy and a major port as well. Flag officer David G. Farragut led the attack of the Union Navy from the Mississippi River. He first attempted to bombard the two forts, Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip, but was unsuccessful. Then he broke through the chain between the two forts in the river and proceeded to the city of New Orleans. Once in New Orleans he took control of the city on April 24, 1862. This was an important victory for the Union.

Seven Days Battles

The Seven Days Battles took place between June 25, 1862 and July 1, 1862. There were six major battles fought during this time near the city of Richmond, Virginia. General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army attempted to capture the Union Army under General George B. McClellan. As McClellan's army retreated, Lee continued to attack. McClellan managed to escape, but Lee had gained a victory which increased the morale of the South.

Battle of Antietam

Lincoln visiting McClellan
and Troops at Antietam
by The New York Times

This was the first major battle fought in the North. It was fought near Sharpsburg, Maryland on September 17, 1862.The Battle of Antietam is known as the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War. There were over 23,000 casualties and 4600 deaths. The Confederate Army, led by General Robert E. Lee, was vastly outnumbered, but still managed to harass and fight off the more conservative Union Army, led by General George B. McClellan. Eventually, though, the Union Amy was able to push back Lee's army and cause them to retreat from Northern soil.

Battle of Fredericksburg

This battle took place on December 11-15, 1862 at Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was a huge battle involving over 180,000 soldiers. The North was led by General Ambrose Burnside and the South was led by General Robert E. Lee. The North was leading a major attack into the South. General Lee managed to fight them back with a much smaller force. It was considered a major victory for the Southern forces.

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Kids History: Civil War Battles of 1861 and 1862

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The Battles of 1861 and 1862 First Battle of Iron Ships of War by Henry Bill History >> Civil War After the first shot was fired at the Battle of Fort Sumter, the American Civil War would escalate. Many more battles would be fought over the next few years.

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The sky turned a glowing red as the sun rose over Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on July 1, 1863. The fields outside of town were orderly and quiet, with a few large wood-and-stone barns scattered throughout the landscape. Nothing indicated that by the day's end the largest battle ever fought on the North American continent would be in full force on those very fields.

The bloodiest battle of the Civil War was about to begin.

THE ROAD TO GETTYSBURG

The Civil War started in the United States two years earlier, in 1861. The war was mostly over the issue of slavery. At the time, many white citizens owned Black enslaved people. Then-President Abraham Lincoln was against slavery and wanted to end it. Many people in the northern states agreed with him; most people in the southern states, however, relied on enslaved people to farm their crops and did not want slavery to end.

That year, 11 southern states broke away from the United States, which was also known as the Union. These southern states formed what was called the Confederate States of America. The country had officially entered the Civil War.

For the next two years, battles were fought. Both sides experienced multiple wins and losses. But by 1863, the Confederate Army was in high spirits. In May, despite being outnumbered, they scored a victory over the Union soldiers, also known as the Yankees, in Chancellorsville, Virginia.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee thought if his men got another win, northerners might withdraw their support for the war. His troops began marching north in June.

THE BATTLE

When news reached southern Pennsylvania that Lee's army was on its way, residents fled. The area was mostly deserted by the time the Confederate soldiers appeared-except for the Union Army awaiting their arrival. Tipped off by intelligence reports, the Yankees were able to predict when the southerners would arrive-and had camped out in Cashtown to wait for them.

At first the Confederates outnumbered the Yankees. Overwhelmed by the sheer size of the southern army, the Union was forced to retreat from Cashtown to Gettysburg and wait for more troops. There, led by General George Meade, the Union regrouped and set up renewed defenses.

By the second day the Yankees numbered around 94,000 soldiers; the Confederates around 72,000. General Lee attacked first. Both sides took heavy losses, but Meade's Union defense lines held strong.

On the final day of the battle, General Lee decided to stage an aggressive attack. He sent General George Pickett-with approximately 12,500 men-on a direct charge against the Union Army. Pickett's attack ultimately failed, resulting in over half of his men being injured or killed. General Lee and the Confederate Army retreated.

The Battle of Gettysburg remains the deadliest battle of the Civil War. As many as 23,000 Yankees and 28,000 Confederates were killed, wounded, or captured over the course of just three days.

AFTERMATH

Although the war went on for almost two more years, Gettysburg was a turning point toward the final Union victory in 1865. And that victory meant more than holding together the United States as a country. It also meant the end of slavery-the institution that had divided the nation since its founding in 1776.

President Lincoln said it best in his address on November 19, 1863, to dedicate the cemetery for soldiers killed at Gettysburg. The battle not only ensured that the United States would not "perish from the Earth" but also eventually gave the nation "a new birth of freedom."

Today millions of people visit the battlefield every year. There they shed tears or stand in silent tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the soldiers who lost their lives at Gettysburg.

TEXT ADAPTED FROM SUMNER'S BLOODIEST DAYS: THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG AS TOLD FROM ALL SIDES, AND THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS BOOK EVERYTHING BATTLES by John Perritano and James Spears

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Learn about the Civil War's bloodiest fight.

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The United States Civil War lasted four years and was the bloodiest war in American history. More than 50 major battles were fought on American soil. Below, in chronological order, are five of the most significant battles that took place.

First Bull Run (July 21, 1861)

The first Battle of Bull Run (also called the first Battle of Manassas) was the first major land battle of the Civil War.

Following President Abraham Lincoln's orders, the Union Army under General Irvin McDonnell marched from Washington, D.C., to seize the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. Approximately 42 kilometers (25 miles) into the march, his path was blocked by the Confederate Army under the command of General P.G.T. Beauregard.

At first, it seemed as if the Union Army would prevail, but as the battle raged throughout the morning, the Confederates held their ground. Once the Confederate army received reinforcements early that afternoon, their counteroffensive defeated the Union troops.

The retreating Union troops left the route to Washington, D.C., wide open, however, the Confederates were not able to pursue. Even though combined casualties were relatively few (around 4,800) as a result of the battle, the North realized they were in for a long, bitter war.

Shiloh (April 6, 1862-April 7, 1862)

By February of 1862, the Union Army had achieved victories in central Kentucky and Tennessee. The army planned to move south and capture an important Confederate east-west railway hub in northern Mississippi. To defend the hub, Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston fortified the town of Corinth, Mississippi. The Union planned to unite two armies-under Ulysses S. Grant and Don Carlos Buell-and then take Corinth.

Grant's army arrived first and set up a camp in the town of Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, near the Shiloh Meeting House. Johnston planned to strike Grant's army before Buell arrived, and at dawn on the sixth of April, Johnston's forces attacked. Grant's Union forces were surprised, but remained in the field after a day of fierce fighting. Buell's forces finally arrived overnight, and the combined Union force attacked at dawn. Beauregard-the new Confederate general after Johnston was mortally wounded-withdrew.

The battle resulted in combined casualties of more than 23,000 people.

Antietam or the Battle of Sharpsburg (September 17, 1862)

Confederate General Robert E. Lee had decided to take the war to the North. He devised a plan to split his army and take supplies to Maryland, move into Pennsylvania, and threaten Washington, D.C. His plans fell into Union hands, and the Union Army marched to confront the force he commanded at Antietam Creek, in northern Maryland. However, the Union General McClellan, known for his cautious approach to engaging in battle, responded tentatively, waiting 18 hours before moving his troops. This gave the Confederates time to bring in reinforcements.

The day ended in a draw, with 23,000 men killed, but halted Lee's plans to invade the North for the time being. Although Lincoln was furious that McClellan allowed Lee to escape, he used the occasion to announce the Emancipation Proclamation.

Gettysburg (July 1, 1863-July 3, 1863)

Although Antietam was a setback to Lee's plans, the Union failed to capitalize on it. Lincoln replaced McClellan, but his new generals lost decisively at Fredericksburg, Virginia (December 13, 1862), and Chancellorsville, Virginia (April 30, 1863-May 4, 1863). These Confederate victories encouraged Lee to renew his plan to invade the North.

Lee moved the Army of Northern Virginia north, and the new Union General, George Meade, shadowed him to protect Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; and Washington, D.C. The forces met at the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the morning of the first of July.

Despite early successes, the Confederate forces were not able to drive the Union Army off their ground. The following day, as reinforcements arrived for both sides, Lee again failed to dislodge the Union Army.

The thrid of July saw one last push from the Confederates. Lee ordered what has become known as the Pickett's Charge-an assault of some 15,000 Confederate troops-up Cemetery Ridge. Although the charge broke through Union lines, the Confederates were unable to consolidate their gains, and retreated.

Lee prepared for the counterattack he expected the next day, but it never came. He withdrew his forces on the fourth of July, and the Union Army did not pursue. While Meade won the battle and stopped the invasion, he failed to destroy Lee's army and end the rebellion.

Union casualties numbered around 23,000 people, while Confederate casualties numbered around 28,000 people.

Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the military cemetery later that fall.

Vicksburg (May 22, 1863-July 4, 1863)

Vicksburg, Mississippi, lies on the east bank of the Mississippi River, about halfway between Memphis, Tennessee, to the north and New Orleans, Louisiana, to the south. Capturing it would give control of the entire Mississippi to the Union. But the city, located on a bluff overlooking the river, was heavily defended, with trenches, gun batteries, and a Confederate Army led by General John C. Pemberton.

In May, Union General Ulysses S. Grant led an army south on the west side of the Mississippi past Vicksburg, then crossed over and led his troops back north to lay siege to the city. By mid-June, the Confederates were running low on supplies. General Pemberton surrendered on the fourth of July.

The victories-a day apart-at Gettysburg and Vicksburg marked the turning point of the Civil War. They also ensured that European powers did not recognize the Confederacy as a sovereign nation, withholding much-needed support.

The Civil War killed hundreds of thousands and scarred the countryside. These are just some of the war's major battles. Today, many battlefield sites have been set aside as National Parks.

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Defining Battles of the Civil War | National Geographic Society

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The United States Civil War, fought between 1861 and 1865, featured many major and minor engagements, and military actions. Among the most significant were the First Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Shiloh, the Battle of Antietam, the Battle of Gettysburg, and the Vicksburg Campaign.

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Underground Railroad
History >> Civil War

The Underground Railroad was a term used for a network of people, homes, and hideouts that the enslaved in the southern United States used to escape to freedom in the Northern United States and Canada.

Was it a railroad?

The Underground Railroad wasn't really a railroad. It was a name given to the way that people escaped. No one is sure where it originally got its name, but the "underground" part of the name comes from its secrecy and the "railroad" part of the name comes from the way it was used to transport people.

Conductors and Stations

The Underground Railroad used railroad terms in its organization. People who led the enslaved along the route were called conductors. Hideouts and homes where the enslaved hid along the way were called stations or depots. Even people who helped by giving money and food were sometimes called stockholders.

Levi Coffin House
from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Who worked on the railroad?

Many people from various backgrounds worked as conductors and provided safe places for the enslaved to stay along the route. Some of the conductors were formerly enslaved people such asHarriet Tubman who escaped using the Underground Railroad and then returned to help more of the enslaved escape. Many white people who felt that slavery was wrong also helped, including Quakers from the north. They often provided hideouts in their homes as well as food and other supplies.

Harriet Tubman
by H. B. Lindsley

If it wasn't a railroad, how did the people actually travel?

Traveling on the Underground Railroad was difficult and dangerous. The enslaved would often travel by foot at night. They would sneak from one station to the next, hoping not to get caught. Stations were usually around 10 to 20 miles apart. Sometimes they would have to wait at one station for a while until they knew the next station was safe and ready for them.

Was it dangerous?

Yes, it was very dangerous. Not only for the enslaved who were trying to escape, but also for those trying to help them. It was against the law to help escaped enslaved people and, in many southern states, conductors could be put to death by hanging.

When did the Underground Railroad run?

The Underground Railroad ran from around 1810 to the 1860s. It was at its peak right before the Civil War in the 1850s.

A Ride for Liberty - The Fugitive Slaves
by Eastman Johnson

How many people escaped?

Since enslaved people escaped and lived in secrecy, no one is quite sure how many escaped. There are estimates that say over 100,000 of the enslaved escaped over the history of the railroad, including 30,000 that escaped during the peak years before the Civil War.

Fugitive Slave Act

In 1850 the Fugitive Slave Act was passed in the United States. This made it a law that runaway enslaved people found in free states had to be returned to their owners in the south. This made it even more difficult for the Underground Railroad. Now, the enslaved needed to be transported all the way to Canada in order to be safe from being captured again.

Abolitionists

Abolitionists were people who thought slavery should be made illegal and all current enslaved people should be set free. The abolitionist movement started with the Quakers in the 17th century who felt that slavery was un-Christian. The state of Pennsylvania was the first state to abolish slavery in 1780.

Lewis Hayden House by Ducksters
The Lewis Hayden House served as a stop
on the Underground Railroad.

Interesting Facts about the Underground Railroad

Enslavers really wanted Harriet Tubman, a famous conductor for the railroad, arrested. They offered a reward of $40,000 for her capture. That was a LOT of money back then.

One hero of the Underground Railroad was Levi Coffin, a Quaker who is said to have helped around 3,000 of the enslaved gain their freedom.

The most common route for people to escape was north into the northern United States or Canada, but some of the enslaved in the deep south escaped to Mexico or Florida.

Canada was often called the "Promised Land" by the enslaved. The Mississippi River was called the "River Jordan" from the Bible.

In keeping with the railroad terminology, escaping enslaved people were often referred to as passengers or cargo.

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Overview Major Events Civil War Life

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Kids learn about the Underground Railroad. A way for the enslaved to escape from the South and into free northern states and Canada.

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The Underground Railroad was not an actual railway. Instead, it was a secret organization that existed in the United States before the Civil War. The people of the Underground Railroad helped escaped enslaved people from the South to reach places of safety in the North or in Canada.

The Underground Railroad used railway terms as code words. The routes to freedom were called "lines." The hiding places on the lines were called "stations." The people who moved or hid the enslaved people were called "conductors." The enslaved people themselves were sometimes called "freight."

The Underground Railroad had to be secret because it was against the law. Laws called the Fugitive Slave Acts protected slaveholders' rights even in states that did not allow slavery. The people who ran the Underground Railroad were abolitionists -they wanted to abolish, or end, slavery in all states.

Many Underground Railroad conductors were followers of the Quaker religion. The Quaker leader Thomas Garrett is believed to have helped about 2,700 enslaved people escape. Other conductors were Northern Blacks. Harriet Tubman, a former enslaved woman, led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom.

The heaviest activities of the Underground Railroad were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, New York, and the New England states. Most routes ended in Canada. Estimates of the number of enslaved people who "rode" the Underground Railroad range from 40,000 to 100,000. The Railroad's activities ended with the beginning of the Civil War in 1861.

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The Underground Railroad was not an actual railway. Instead, it was a secret organization that existed in the United States before the Civil War. The people of the Underground Railroad helped escaped enslaved people from the South to reach places of safety in the North or in Canada.