Journal Writing: Point of View (Civil War / Basics)

  January 1861. President Lincoln was newly elected and widely know as a abolitionist (people who strive to abolish slavery). The fact that Lincoln was put in power seemed to be enough to force South Carolina to hit the panic button and become the first state to secede. The sole purpose for this move was simply because they relied heavily on slave labor and couldnt imagine life without them. Soon after, the secession welcomed six more states, then later a of 11 total states will round out what eventually was known as the Confederacy. This kind of diversity within the country created heavy tension and soon enough something was about to give.

  President Lincoln tried to avoid any kind of spark that may ignite warfare, but on April 12, 1861 it was made inevitable. Shots were fired on fort Sumter (based in SC), then after sometime the fort was surrendered to South Carolina and the American Civil War was begun. Needless to say, from this point four years of brotherly bloodshed would be spilt in what may still be the most horrifyingly gruesome and detrimental wars of American history.

  After years of brutality, Confederate Army Commanding General Robert E. Lee scheduled to meet with Union Army Commanding General Ulysses's Grant in a home in Virginia at Appomattox. On April 9, 1865 the American Civil War was effectively over. The Union had finally won and the Confederacy hopes for establishing itself as a permanent independent republic was halted.

  Shortly after the war, President Lincoln was assassinated. The Era of reconstruction began with a bang so to speak. The true outcome of the Civil War revolved around the implementation of a reconstructed government for the south. This time was not peaceful, but a violent time filled with controversy turmoil. Everyone wanted to take advantage of how weak the south was. The 13th amendment was passed and slavery was abolished. The south was left trying to piece what was left together.

  The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were the real success in the aftermath of the war. Later the 14th amendment was passed to give Federal Legal Protection to all citizens (including African Americans specifically) to help with the transition from slave to free citizenship. The 15th amendment gave the African Americans a voice/vote. These Amendments were the true victories of the Civil War, eventhough it took each state so much longer to actually transition and accept the true meaning of equality. It took up to as much as 12 years for the southern states to finally transition back to the United States. In 1877 the reconstruction was considered over when the remainder of federal troops finally were removed from the south.