American Civil War Facts for Kids

American Civil War
  • Conflict Name: American Civil War
  • Conflict Start: April 12th, 1861
  • Conflict End: April 9th, 1865
  • Conflict Belligerents: United States of America and the Confederate States of America
  • Conflict Winner: United States of America
  • Conflict Location: United States (Northern, Western and Southern) and the Atlantic Ocean
  • Conflict Deaths: 500,000+ fatalities

19 American Civil War Facts for Kids

  1. The American Civil War was fought between April 12th, 1861, and April 9th, 1865.
  2. The American Civil War started when the Confederate States of America attacked Fort Sumter.
  3. This war is known as the Civil War in the United States, but it is sometimes called the War Between the States.
  4. This war is known as a war between the North (the Union) and the South (the Confederacy).
  5. The American Civil War was fought between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America.
  6. The American Civil War was fought primarily over the slavery in the United States.
  7. The leader of the United States of America was President Abraham Lincoln, and the leader of the Confederate States of America was President Jefferson Davis.
  8. The American Civil War was fought in the Northeastern, Southern and Western parts of the United States, fighting also took place in the Atlantic Ocean.
  9. The American Civil War was won by the United States on April 9th, 1865, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant.
  10. As a result of the United States winning the American Civil War, slavery was officially abolished in the United States of America and resulted in the freedom of four million African American slaves.
  11. It’s estimated that the American Civil War was responsible for the deaths of over a 500,000 people. The total death figure includes both military personal and civilians.
  12. Many of the deaths during the Civil War were caused by disease and not combat.
  13. It’s estimated that an average of 600 people died every day during the American Civil War.
  14. The first major battle of the American Civil War was the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21st, 1861. The outcome of the first major Civil War battle was a victory for the Confederate States.
  15. The Battle of Chancellorsville was a huge victory for the Confederate States and considered by some to be Confederate general Robert E. Lee’s perfect battle. Lee defeated American general Joseph Hooker at this battle with 50% less troops.
  16. The Battle of Gettysburg had the largest amount of war causalities than any other battle during the Civil War.
  17. One of the most famous speeches given by a President was during the Civil War. On November 19th, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.
  18. The Battle of Vicksburg effectively split the Confederate States in half, saw the destruction of their last major outpost and gave the United States control of the Mississippi River.
  19. The President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14th, 1865. This happened five days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. John Wilkes Booth was a Confederate spy and had contact with the Confederate secret service.

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