The Two Sides of the American Civil War

Worksheet Description

The Union – The first side was called the Union. The Union was made up of states from the Northern part of the country. These states are often called the “Northern states.” People living in the North were sometimes called “Yankees.” The Union wanted to keep the country together as one big family. They believed that no state should be allowed to leave the family just because they didn’t agree with the rules. One big rule they disagreed about was slavery. Many people in the North believed that slavery was wrong and should be stopped. They also had many factories and liked to trade with other countries. The leader of the Union during the Civil War was President Abraham Lincoln. He wanted to make sure that the United States stayed as one country, and he worked hard to achieve that goal.

The Confederacy – The second side was called the Confederacy. The Confederacy was made up of states from the Southern part of the country. These states are often called the “Southern states.” People living in the South were sometimes called “Rebels.” The Southern states wanted to have their own country separate from the rest of the United States. They believed they should be allowed to make their own rules, especially about slavery. In the South, many people had big farms called plantations. They used enslaved people to work on these farms and felt that their way of life depended on it. The leader of the Confederacy was President Jefferson Davis. He believed that the Southern states had the right to leave the United States and become their own country.

Both sides had brave soldiers who believed strongly in their causes. They wore different uniforms: Union soldiers usually wore blue, while Confederate soldiers wore gray. The war lasted for four long years, from 1861 to 1865. In the end, the Union won, and the country remained united. Slavery was also ended, which was a big step forward for the country.