Contributor: Meghan Vestal. Lesson ID: 12266
Wars don't usually take place in one spot or on one day; they usually cover many places and dates. The American Civil War was fought in America, but what locations and battles were significant?
The Civil War was pivotal in American history. During this time, differing beliefs and ideologies divided and tore apart the nation.
It can be hard to imagine a country fighting itself. It would be like a fight with your sibling, but on a national scale, where entire states would be at odds.
Delve into this lesson to find out!
Many battles make up a war. A battle is an armed conflict between opposing sides in a particular location.
For example, the Battle of Spottsylvania, pictured below, was fought between Confederate and Union soldiers in Spottsylvania, Virginia. It was just one of many battles that made up the Civil War.
The Civil War ended when Confederate troops could no longer continue fighting battles because they had lost too many resources and troops.
As you learn where the different battles of the Civil War were fought, keep track of what state each battle was fought in and in what year it was fought.
To help you keep track of this information, complete the Civil War Battles Chart under the Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar.
You probably noticed there are not 50 states on this list. That is because there were only 23 states during the Civil War.
Some battles were fought in U.S. territories, including Colorado, Dakota, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Washington. Keep track of all these battles next to the line that reads Territories.
Follow these steps.
For example, 29 battles were fought in Georgia, so your chart should have 29 tally marks next to that state.
When finished, answer these questions.
Take your chart with you to the Got It? section to graph your findings.