What years did the Civil War take place in the United States?

The Civil War in the United States took place from 1861 to 1865. This time frame marks the period when the conflict between the Northern states (the Union) and the Southern states (the Confederacy) occurred, leading to significant changes in American society, politics, and economics.

The war officially began on April 12, 1861, with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter and concluded with the surrender of the Confederate army at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The years identified—1861 to 1865—align with key battles, legislation, and historical events that shaped the war's progression and outcome.

The other time frames provided do not correspond to the actual Civil War years. 1860 is significant as the year Abraham Lincoln was elected president, which heightened tensions and led to Southern secession, but it does not encompass the start of the war. The years 1870-1875 and 1850-1855 are not related to the Civil War; the 1850s were marked by conflict over slavery and territorial expansion, while the early 1870s were part of the Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War.