History:
The American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865, and remains the largest American casualty total of any conflict. It was fought between the national government and 28 northern states under the Union banners against the Confederacy, 11 southern states of secessionists. Arguably the biggest catalyst for the American Civil War was the elimination of slavery years early. The national government had decreed that slavery was illegal in every state, but many Southerners believed the practice was pivotal to the function of their economy. While there were other reasons for the eventual declaration of war in 1861, the issue of slavery was by far the most deciding. Ultimately, what followed was one of the most brutal periods in American history.
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