--- title: "In what year did the Civil War begin?" description: "In what year did the Civil War begin?" author: "Aarohi Misra" published: 2018-02-26 canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/34886/in-what-year-did-the-civil-war-begin category: "history, politics & society" tags: ["us civil war"] reading_time: 3 minutes --- # In what year did the Civil War begin? In what [year did the Civil](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/39835/what-year-did-the-civil-war-begin) War begin?\ \ \ ## Answers ### Answer by Stuti Gupta > **The American Civil War began on 12 April 1861 and ended on 9 April 1865.** The **[American Civil War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War)** was contested in the **United States between the Government** (states that committed loyalty to the national accord, or 'the North') **and the Confederacy** (states that elected to secede, or 'the South'). The major reason for the conflict was the **position of enslavement**, particularly its extension into areas obtained as a consequence of the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican–American War. On the brink of the Civil War in 1860, 4 million of the 32 million Americans (13%) were owned by African people, practically all of whom lived in the South. \ **Slavery was a major political problem** in the [United States](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/51455/the-united-states-decided-to-divide-the-oregon-territory-with-who-and-why) during the nineteenth century. The Civil War was the **culmination of decades of political upheaval over slavery**. After Abraham Lincoln secured the 1860 United States presidential campaign on an anti-slavery extension campaign, the country fell apart. The Confederacy was formed when **7 slavery in the south republics announced their independence from the nation**. Confederate armies captured government castles within their declared jurisdiction. \ **Also Read: [How did the policy of deterrence influence U.S. actions during the Cold War?](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/51453/how-did-the-policy-of-deterrence-influence-u-s-actions-during-the-cold-war)** \ Crittenden Compromise attempted to **prevent confrontation at the last minute, but was unsuccessful;** neither parties armed for battle. Fighting erupted in April 1861, little over a month after Abraham Lincoln's first installation, when the Confederate army launched the Battle of Fort Sumter in [South Carolina.](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/51393/what-happened-after-south-carolina-seceded-in-1860) The Confederacy gained the **support of at minimum a plurality of land in 11 states** (of the 34 U.S. states in February 1861) and claimed two others. Both sides amassed sizable volunteer and conscripted forces. Multiple years of heavy fighting occurred, primarily in the South. \ The Civil War is among **the most composed and researched events in American history**. It is still the topic of historical and cultural dispute. The myth of the Confederacy's Lost Cause is of special importance. The American Civil War was **one of the first to employ economic combat**. Railways, telegraph lines, steamboats, ironclad warships, and mass-produced weaponry were widely used. The conflict killed approximately 620,000 to 750,000 troops, as well as an unspecified number of civilians. Just 5 days after Lee's capitulation, President Lincoln was killed. The [Civil War](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/51398/what-was-the-impact-of-the-civil-war-on-the-south-s-african-american-population) is still the most **lethal military battle** in American history. **The Civil War's science and ferocity foretold the impending World Wars.** --- Original Source: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/34886/in-what-year-did-the-civil-war-begin Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.