This episode explores the causes, battles, and aftermath of the American Civil War (1861–1865)—the deadliest conflict in U.S. history. Sparked by the deep divide over slavery and states’ rights, the war erupted when Southern states seceded after Abraham Lincoln’s election. It became a brutal, four-year struggle between the Union and the Confederacy.

We examine major battles, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the role of Black soldiers in shaping the war’s moral direction. The episode also delves into Confederate ideology, the post-war Reconstruction era, and the war’s enduring legacy. Through expert insights and firsthand accounts, this chapter reveals how the Civil War reshaped the meaning of freedom, unity, and American identity.