US Civil War Map

The sides of the American Civil War (1861–1865). A conflict over slavery that escalated into total war.

Sides at a Glance

Side	States	Pop. (1860)	Character
Union (North)	20+2	~22 million	Industrial, anti-slavery
Confederacy (South)	11	~9 million (incl. 3.9M enslaved)	Agricultural, pro-slavery
Border States	5	~3.5 million	Had slavery but stayed in Union

Confederate Secession Order

Wave 1 — Deep South (Dec 1860–Feb 1861)

Right after Lincoln's election, the states most dependent on slavery seceded first.

1. South Carolina (Dec 20, 1860) — First to secede. Fort Sumter located here
2. Mississippi (Jan 9, 1861)
3. Florida (Jan 10, 1861)
4. Alabama (Jan 11, 1861)
5. Georgia (Jan 19, 1861)
6. Louisiana (Jan 26, 1861)
7. Texas (Feb 1, 1861)

Wave 2 — Upper South (Apr–Jun 1861)

After Fort Sumter and Lincoln's call for 75,000 troops, these states refused to fight against the South.

8. Virginia (Apr 17, 1861) — Confederate capital Richmond located here
9. Arkansas (May 6, 1861)
10. North Carolina (May 20, 1861)
11. Tennessee (Jun 8, 1861) — Last to secede. Eastern TN was pro-Union

Border States — The Key to the War

Five slave states that remained in the Union. Lincoln said, "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky."

• Delaware — So few enslaved people that secession was barely discussed
• Maryland — Surrounded the capital Washington. Lincoln declared martial law
• Kentucky — Declared neutrality; the Confederacy invaded first, pushing it toward the Union
• Missouri — Union and Confederate factions set up rival governments within the state
• West Virginia — Western mountain counties of Virginia opposed secession, split off as a new state in 1863

States Admitted During the War

• West Virginia (1863) — 35th state
• Nevada (1864) — 36th state. Rushed to statehood for Lincoln's reelection and passage of the 13th Amendment

Civil War deaths are estimated at 620,000–750,000 — more than all other American wars combined. It remains the deadliest conflict in US history.