The Civil War

The war between northern and southern states that began after several southern states voted to secede from the Union. Union troops were eventually victorious after a long struggle in which many Americans were killed. Although often portrayed as a war to end slavery, Foner explains that the issue of slavery only became central after the war had started.

The Union

The United States. During the Civil War, the Union was made up of the "loyal" northern states.

The Confederacy

The nation formed by the southern states that seceded from the Union.

Emancipation Proclamation

A proclamation signed by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863 that declared southern slaves to be free. The proclamation did not apply to slaves in areas that had remained loyal to the Union.

Freedmen's Bureau

A federal department created by Congress to assist southern blacks in maintaining the new rights they were granted after...