The Civil War 1861–1865

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was fought between the Union (Northern states) and the Confederacy (Southern states). It was the deadliest war in American history and ultimately ended slavery in the United States. This lesson covers the key events, turning points, and consequences of the war for AQA GCSE History.

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The Two Sides

	Union (North)	Confederacy (South)
President	Abraham Lincoln	Jefferson Davis
Capital	Washington D.C.	Richmond, Virginia
Population	~22 million	~9 million (including ~3.5 million enslaved people)
Industry	Highly industrialised; 90% of US manufacturing	Largely agricultural; few factories
Army	Larger army; better supplied	Smaller but highly motivated; excellent generals (e.g. Robert E. Lee)
Navy	Strong navy; could blockade Southern ports	Weak navy; relied on blockade runners
Railroads	22,000 miles of track	9,000 miles of track
Advantages	Industry, population, navy, resources	Fighting on home territory; defensive war; strong military leadership