While America had many battles and wars, the Civil War was one of, if not the most important wars ever. The Civil War defined what kind of nation America would be. It also forever changed the lives of slaves and set the tone for how America would be run. Two parts of America, the free North and the South, which still favored slaveholding, erupted into massive altercation after the war. election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860. 11 Southern states seceded from the Union, completely moving away from the idea of ​​a single American nation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay After the separation of the states, Abraham Lincoln, who had only been in office a couple of weeks, declared that the acts of secession were illegal, he also asked Congress for five hundred thousand men to stop and destroy what appeared to be an aggressive act of rebellion. In April 1861, the first shots of the war were fired at the famous Fort Sumpter, and what happened next became a national tragedy of unimaginable proportions. An estimated 600,000 were killed and nearly millions were injured. Large portions of the South were nearly destroyed by violent battles. the Union nearly collapsed under determined Confederate forces. Jefferson2 The war began slowly. After the Battle of Bull Run in Virginia in July 1861, it was certain that the word would be long and exhausting for both sides and would last perhaps months or even years. Many major battles raged throughout the United States between the Union and the Confederates. most of the major battles were fought in Virginia. The Confederate Army, achieving many victories against the poorly led Union Army, was led by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Confederate General Lee invaded Maryland in September 1862. Maryland suffered a major loss at the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest altercation of the war. The following year General Lee defeated the strong Union army at Chancellorsville and invaded Pennsylvania, which also led to the Battle of Gettysburg. more than 50,000 men died and were wounded and ultimately died due to lack of medical knowledge and supplies. General Lee was forced to leave and retreat to Virginia, and was never able to invade the North again. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Union General Ulysses S Grant captured the important Confederate city of Vicksburg on the Mississippi River on July 4, 1863, on the same day war news of the victory at Gettysburg was sent and received in Washington. Although the Union was winning important battles, the war was far from over. General Grant began his 1864 land campaign and fought a number of significant battles. He hoped to destroy Lee's army using a strategy of attrition,