1861: American Civil War Outbreak
The Union fractures as slavery’s chains rattle.
In 1861, following Southern states' secession over slavery and states' rights, President Lincoln refused to recognize the Confederacy, sparking the American Civil War. This conflict ended slavery but caused immense loss of life and reshaped U.S. society through Reconstruction.
Historical context: The American Civil War was caused primarily by the Southern states’ determination to preserve chattel slavery. The Confederacy’s founding documents explicitly identify slavery’s preservation as their central purpose. The war ended with Union victory and the abolition of slavery through the 13th Amendment (1865), freeing approximately four million enslaved people. This simulation treats slavery as a moral atrocity — exploring the historical choices around the war is not an endorsement of any attempt to preserve it.
Allow a peaceful split, broker a tense compromise, or enforce unity with steel—your leadership could heal a nation or drown it in blood.
What if the Civil War never erupted, leaving slavery intact and reshaping America?