Key Historical Concepts and Events

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Civil War

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A war between citizens of the same country; in the U.S., it refers to the conflict between the Northern states (Union) and Southern seceding states (Confederacy) from 1861-1865.

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Emancipation Proclamation

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An executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, freeing slaves in all portions of the United States not then under Union control.

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Confederacy

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The group of 11 Southern states that seceded from the United States in 1860-61.

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Gettysburg Address

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A famous speech by President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, delivered at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

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13th Amendment

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An amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1865, abolishing slavery in the United States.

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14th Amendment

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An amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1868, granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and guaranteeing all citizens equal protection of the laws.

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15th Amendment

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An amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1870, prohibiting the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

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Suffrage

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The right to vote in political elections.

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Reconstruction Era

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The period after the Civil War in the United States when the Southern states were reorganized and reintegrated into the Union.

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Black Codes

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Laws passed by Southern states after the Civil War to restrict the rights of newly freed black people.