Abraham Lincoln was the U.S. president during almost the entire Civil War.

Quick Scoop: Who was president during the Civil War?

  • The American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865, and Abraham Lincoln served as the 16th president of the United States throughout this period.
  • Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861, just weeks before the war began with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861.
  • He led the Union through the conflict and was assassinated on April 15, 1865, shortly after major Union victories signaled the war’s end.
  • After Lincoln’s death, Vice President Andrew Johnson became president and oversaw the early phase of Reconstruction right as the war concluded.

In many history classes and quizzes, when you see the question “Who was president during the Civil War?”, the expected answer is: Abraham Lincoln.