Civil War (and Friends)
What was it?
The Civil War was the war fought between the Southern and Northern parts of the United Sates. Although its causes are heavily debated, this war can generally be attributed to the presence of slavery in the South and its absence in the North. The fighting lasted for four years, ending in a Northern victory and the abolition of slavery in all states. After the war, the United States entered into the reconstruction era as the North tried to rebuild the South in its own image, which failed miserably. The Southern economy remained largely agrarian and former slaves remained slaves in all but title as they worked for white men who took the majority of their crop and forced them into a cycle of debt. After the North pulled out of the South, Jim Crow laws began ti be implementing, limiting the rights of African Americans with poll taxes or literacy tests to prevent voting, and restrictions on African AMericans' movements without the permission of a boss.
Why's it Important?
The Civil War itself was not much of a turning point. Its effects changed the United States. With the 13th and 14th amendment, African Americans finally gained freedom and citizenship, even though many continued to work in conditions similar to slavery. Despite this, the 14th amendment was the basis for the black civil rights movement of the 1960s.