Part 1: The Road to Civil War

Abraham Lincoln's election spurred the slave-holding states of the Deep South to secede from the United States and form a confederacy.

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GRAPHIC: Gene Thorp - The Washington Post. Published on Nov. 1, 2010

Part 2: Fury Unleashed

Apr. 12, 1861 – Sept. 1861

By Gene Thorp Apr. 12, 2011

Years of built up tension are released when the opening shots of the Civil War are fired.

Oct. 1861 – April 5, 1862

By Gene Thorp Oct. 7, 2011

The North continues its efforts to crush the rebellion and pushes the Confederacy to the brink of collapse.

Gene Thorp Apr. 12, 2011

Press the play button and watch the war unfold over time.