American Civil War Worksheets - 15 Worksheets Library - Free Printable

Here's the True or False evaluation for each statement on the “Civil War” worksheet, with clear explanations:

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1. The Battle of Gettysburg was the first battle of the Civil War.
✔ FALSE
*Explanation:* The first major battle of the Civil War was the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) in July 1861. The Battle of Gettysburg occurred much later, in July 1863, and is considered a turning point — not the beginning.

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2. The first southern state to secede from the union was South Carolina.
✔ TRUE
*Explanation:* South Carolina was the first state to secede, doing so on December 20, 1860, following Abraham Lincoln’s election. It set off a chain reaction among other Southern states.

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3. Eleven southern states eventually seceded from the union leading up to the Civil War.
✔ TRUE
*Explanation:* A total of 11 states formed the Confederate States of America: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

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4. Virginia was a border state during the Civil War.
✔ FALSE
*Explanation:* Virginia seceded and joined the Confederacy, so it was not a border state. Border states were slave states that remained loyal to the Union: Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. (Note: West Virginia later split from Virginia and became a Union state.)

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5. Lincoln was calling for the abolition of slavery before becoming elected to the presidency.
✔ FALSE
*Explanation:* While Lincoln opposed the *expansion* of slavery and believed it was morally wrong, he did not campaign on abolishing slavery where it already existed. His main goal was preserving the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation came later, in 1863, after the war began.

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6. More than three million men fought in the Civil War.
✔ TRUE
*Explanation:* Approximately 2.7–3.4 million soldiers fought in total — about 2.1 million for the Union and 1.1 million for the Confederacy. So yes, “more than three million” is generally accepted as accurate.

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7. Only about 100,000 people died in the Civil War.
✔ FALSE
*Explanation:* The Civil War was the deadliest conflict in U.S. history. Estimated deaths are around 620,000–750,000 — far more than 100,000. This includes battlefield deaths, disease, and other war-related causes.

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8. The Civil War ended when Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina.
✔ FALSE
*Explanation:* The attack on Fort Sumter (April 12, 1861) marked the beginning of the Civil War. The war ended in April 1865, when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.

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9. Frederick Douglass was a Union general during the Civil War.
✔ FALSE
*Explanation:* Frederick Douglass was a famous abolitionist, writer, and orator who advocated strongly for emancipation and for allowing Black soldiers to fight. He never held a military rank or served as a general. He met with Lincoln and influenced policy, but was not a soldier.

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✔ Final Answers (True/False):

1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. False

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