US History: Civil War
Before the Civil War, slavery was a reality everywhere in the United States. In the South, the plantation system made a small group of landowners extremely wealthy. In the North, banks, farms, factories, and many small businesses depended on the success of slavery in the South. The Civil War began in 1861 when the South mistakenly believed that the new president, Abraham Lincoln, would end slavery. Once the war started, it quickly turned into a war against slavery. The war resulted in the end of slavery but did not change change the racist attitudes and behavior that slavery created. This unit focuses on America's largest and most destructive war in US history and its continuing relevance.
