The American Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865, beginning in April 1861 and ending in the spring of 1865.

Quick Scoop: Key Dates

  • Start of the war: April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.
  • End of the war: Generally dated to April 1865, when major Confederate armies surrendered; many historians mark April 26, 1865 as the formal end.
  • Overall duration: Four years, 1861–1865.

In most history books, if you ask “when was the American Civil War?”, you’ll see the dates written as 1861–1865.

TL;DR: The American Civil War took place from 1861 to 1865, starting on April 12, 1861 and effectively ending in April 1865.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.