U.S. Civil War

The U.S. Civil War (1861-1865) was a conflict between the Northern states (the Union) and Southern states (the Confederacy) primarily over slavery and states' rights. The North sought to preserve the Union and end slavery, while the South aimed to maintain their slave-based economy and sovereign rights. The war resulted in significant loss of life and destruction, culminating in the defeat of the Confederacy. The war ended slavery in the U.S. and led to the Reconstruction era, during which the nation worked to integrate formerly enslaved people into society and rebuild the South.