Let’s go through each statement one by one and decide if it’s TRUE or FALSE based on what we know about the Civil War.
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1. The Battle of Gettysburg was the first battle of the Civil War.
→ FALSE
The first major battle of the Civil War was the
First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) in July 1861. The Battle of Gettysburg happened later, in July 1863 — it was a turning point, not the first battle.
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2. The first southern state to secede from the union was South Carolina.
→ TRUE
South Carolina was the first state to leave the Union, doing so on December 20, 1860, after Abraham Lincoln was elected president.
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3. Eleven southern states eventually seceded from the union leading up to the Civil War.
→ TRUE
Yes — 11 states left the Union: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. They formed the Confederate States of America.
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4. Virginia was a border state during the Civil War.
→ FALSE
Virginia was NOT a border state — it joined the Confederacy. Border states were slave states that stayed in the Union: Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, and sometimes West Virginia (which split from Virginia). Virginia itself became part of the Confederacy.
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5. Lincoln was calling for the abolition of slavery before becoming elected to the presidency.
→ FALSE
Before being elected, Lincoln said he wanted to stop slavery from spreading into new territories — but he did NOT call for immediate abolition everywhere. His main goal at first was preserving the Union. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, during the war.
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6. More than three million men fought in the civil war.
→ TRUE
About 2.7 million Union soldiers and around 1 million Confederate soldiers fought — totaling over 3.7 million. So yes, more than three million.
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7. Only about 100,000 people died in the Civil War.
→ FALSE
Actually, about
620,000 to 750,000 soldiers died — plus many civilians. It was the deadliest war in American history. 100,000 is way too low.
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8. The Civil War ended when Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina.
→ FALSE
That attack in April 1861 actually STARTED the Civil War. The war ended in April 1865 when General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Court House.
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9. Frederick Douglass was a Union general during the Civil War.
→ FALSE
Frederick Douglass was a famous abolitionist, writer, and speaker who advised President Lincoln — but he was never a general. He helped recruit Black soldiers for the Union Army, but didn’t serve as an officer.
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Final Answer:
1. FALSE
2. TRUE
3. TRUE
4. FALSE
5. FALSE
6. TRUE
7. FALSE
8. FALSE
9. FALSE
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of civil war worksheet for fifth graders.
