The American Civil War was, of course, a civil war, a violent war between two sides of the country, the US Government, and eleven Southern states, spanning over the course of four years (1861-1865). It was the culmination of the struggle between those in the South who sought the continuation of slavery (the Confederacy), against the North (the Union), supported by the US Government.
The first outcome of the war was the casualties of the war. Many hundreds of thousands of soldiers perished fighting, with estimates showing upwards of 750,000 – 850,000, or about two percent (2%) of the population. The bloodiest and deadliest fight was the Battle of Gettysburg, with at least 50,000 recorded deaths. It is hard to be sure or calculate an exact number of deaths due to the lack of written records, but in 2011, researchers reasoned that the South saw the most deaths. The war significantly changed the funeral industry; families longed to say goodbye to their loved ones, yet the lack of transportation led to the invention of embalming (the preservation of a deceased person, permitting a proper burial). This practice laid the groundwork for today’s funeral industry.
And secondly, the period following the end of the civil war saw attempts to redress the economic, social, and political impacts that plagued the country. President Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, pardoned all white people in the South, except those who were Confederate leaders or wealthy planters, restoring their voting rights. Presidential uncertainty grew to an all-time high when Johnson’s stubborn beliefs in state rights led to a permanent rupture between himself and Congress. Even laws were successfully passed despite Johnson’s vetoes. Northern voters rejected his policies, with Congress enacting the Reconstruction Acts in 1867, dividing the South into five military districts. By 1870, all Confederate states joined the Union, nearly all controlled by the Republican Party. As African American people held conventions and worked to gain full civil rights, opposition from white Southerners grew increasingly violent, leading to the formation of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
Of course, the third outcome, which was touched on above, was the expansion of rights for African Americans. Although there was an expansion, much work was needed, and still is to this day. Progress is still needed. Native Americans didn’t see the right to vote until 1947, women until 1920, and only in 1965 were voting rights bans removed.
The many casualties of the war greatly impacted the country. The reconstruction of America changed the US immensely, whether politically, economically, or socially. America would not be the country it is today had there not been the Civil War. Much progress is still necessary to better the country, yet every country is a work in progress, much like us as people.
Citations
“Causes and Effects of the American Civil War.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020, www.britannica.com/summary/Causes-and-Effects-of-the-American-Civil-War.
Kristian Skrede Gleditsch. “Civil War | Definition, Causes, & Theories.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 11 Sept. 2017, www.britannica.com/topic/civil-war.
Weber, Jennifer L, and Warren W Hassler. “American Civil War.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Aug. 2018, www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War.
Zeller, Bob. “How Many Died in the American Civil War? | HISTORY.” HISTORY, 6 Jan. 2022, www.history.com/articles/american-civil-war-deaths.
Ponti, Crystal. “How Civil War Deaths Advanced America’s Funeral Industry.” HISTORY, 6 Oct. 2025, www.history.com/articles/civil-war-embalming.
Foner, Eric. “Reconstruction.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Dec. 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Reconstruction-United-States-history.
“History of Voting.” Flaglerelections.gov, 2025, www.flaglerelections.gov/Get-Involved/Voter-Education/History-of-Voting.