When did the Civil War Start

The causes of the civil war are a bit complex and go back to the 1780's and early 1800's when several states in the Northern part of the United States, passed laws along with the Congress banning slavery. This movement is known as the Abolitionist movement. The problem was that United States being a federal democracy has independent state legislature system where the state assembly holds enormous power. The south states which relied on their enormous agricultural plantations and labor intensive economic activities, on the other hand staunchly opposed the ban on slavery as it threatened their highly profitable businesses. The industry in Europe that had expanded beyond imagination increased the demand for cash crops and raw material from the southern states. This led the south states to resist the slavery ban laws. In the 1850s however, the situation led to a breaking point when in 1850s several legal and political battles led to violence and break of decorum.

Another problem that was faced by the union of United States was that the difference in the political values and economic aims of the northern and southern states. The south states remained predominantly republican whereas the prominent party in the North was the democratic party. Since slavery violated the Declaration of Independence, which regarded that all men are born equal, the southern state legislation began to fear slave rebellions and complete abolition of slavery. These causes which centered around the issue of slavery were responsible for the American civil war. Tariff tax and clashing economic policies are sometimes also cited to be the causes of the war.

Civil War Timeline

The civil war's path was principally paved in politics and the economic interests of the South States. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln, won the election and was elected. Lincolns policies were no doubt against slavery, and in a very different political move, Lincoln aimed at isolating and restricting the growth of slavery.

The Start
After the election results, fearing the anti-slavery policies of Lincoln, slave states, that is the South states, started secession from the Federal United States. A secession is formal withdrawal or separation of states from the United States. South Carolina was the first one to declare succession on December 20, 1860. It was followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. Under the leadership of Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens, a Confederacy which was formally known as Confederate States of America, as formed on February 8, 1861. Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina. Though South Carolina had made certain declarations for state's rights and independence, in 1860, the actual war did not start till the next year. Hence the answer to the question, what year did the civil war start, is 1861. It must be noted that the northern states were known as the 'Union' in the war.

Event that marks the Start
The underlying cause of the civil war were actually a north vs south states conflict that had been going on for about half a century. The actual fuse to the bomb was triggered on April 12, 1861. Charleston Harbor in South Carolina is overlooked by Fort Sumter, a highly defensive fort in the region. Even after the secession of South Carolina this fort remained in the power of the Union. Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, the commanding officer of confederate troops in Charleston started operations to take control of the fort. Artillery batteries opened fire on the fortifications at 4:30 a.m., April 12, 1861 starting the civil war and the Battle of Fort Sumter.

The End
The start and finish of the civil war is a very curious topic as the war officially started on April 12, 1861 at the Battle of Sumter and ended on April 9, 1865 when General Robert Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia. In very unusual gesture, he was permitted to keep his officer's saber and horse. Unofficial dates are quite different and in a public opinion that December 20, 1860, the date when South Carolina, declared its secession is considered to be the start of the war. The unofficial answer to the query 'when did the civil war end' is June 1865, when CSS Shenandoah, a commercial raider, fired its last shot against at Whaler.

The Victors
The war as won by the Union led by President Abraham Lincoln. Among all the civil war battles, the most important are the Battle of Antietam, which was tactically not concluded, but proved to be a strategic Union victory. Another battle was the Battle of Gettysburg, which was also won by the Union.

The battles of the civil war, are among the first ones to be photographed. War crime trials were also held by the United States Courts after the war. Though devastating and horrifying, it was one of the first conflicts for truth, peace and human right to live. Following the war, President Abraham Lincoln wrote a condolence letter to a bereaved mother of 5 union soldiers, reported to be dead or missing in action. The letter which is one of the finest examples of condolence and writing, goes as:

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln
(...By President Abraham Lincoln)

The Union soldiers, even when in a state of grace, fought for what they had pledged for by believing in the Declaration of Independence. They fought for what they believed, that all men are created equal, for life that was endowed by the Almighty creator and for life, liberty and a pursuit of happiness. After a 150 years, and after excessive turmoil, why, as a society, do we need to judge and rank every person, within our mind, when in our hearts we know that there is more happiness in befriending, accepting, learning and living.