The Opposing Sides The North had considerable advantages with a larger population, factories and railroads to make and move supplies, and control over banks and cash reserves. To raise money, the South taxed its citizens, but many refused to pay. Instead, the Confederacy printed money, causing rapid inflation. The Civil War was the first modern war, with accurate ammunition, reliable supplies, and trenches to provide protection for troops.

The Early Stages The North planned to win the war by blocking Confederate ports, causing the South to run out of resources. The first battle of Bull Run showed that a larger and better-trained army would be needed for victory. In the West, Union forces seized New Orleans and controlled the lower Mississippi River. The bloodiest day of battle in U.S. history occurred on September 17, 1862 at Antietem Creek, with almost 6,000 soldiers killed and 17,000 wounded. It was a crucial victory for the union. On September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Turning Points and Final Battles Gaining control of the Mississippi River was one of the most important strategies in a Union victory. Grant cut off food supplies at Vicksburg until the Confederate commander surrendered. The battle at Gettysburg was initiated by the South, but Union troops held their ground and both sides suffered steep casualties. After more defeats and supply cutoffs, Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1965. Just weeks later, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth

Reconstruction After the war, reconstruction of the South became a priority for the nation. Andrew Johnson became president after Lincoln’s death, and amnesty was granted to most former Confederate citizens. The Fourteenth Amendment guaranteed equal protection of the laws, and the Fifteenth Amendment declared that the right to vote cannot be denied to anyone based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. In 1869, General Grant became president but scandals damaged his administration.