Sources used in this document:
Other key battles fought between the Union and Confederates was the Battle of Bull Run in June 1862, wherein the Confederates won the battle after it offensively attacked the Union forces in Virginia, specifically, in Manassas. Right after the Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Antietam in Maryland was one of the major battles that determined the Union's success in the Civil War. This battle became significant for both factions because it ultimately determined whether the Confederates were capable of handling and controlling the northern region. For the Union, meanwhile, this battle was crucial in that it determined whether the Union was able to defend its territory, as well as fight for control of the southern region as well. Thus, the battle involved numerous casualties and deaths; though the battle did not determine who won the conflict, the Confederates' failure to capture and gain control of the territory determined the Union's capability to control its region. Due to the battle of Antietam, succeeding battles between the Union and Confederates showed the former as being more aggressive; the battles of Perryville, Kentucky and Fredericksburg, Virginia showed Union success and eventual conflict among the Confederate leaders.
From this pattern of battle victories by the Union forces and considerable support from the Administration, the Civil War was immediately won by the North. The Confederates' failure to capture Washington D.C. proved that indeed, the war was already won by the Union forces.
The Civil War had caused detriment to both the northern and southern regions of the country. Human casualties significantly affected both regions, while economic loss from the Union was estimated at $1 billion, while the Confederates, $2 billion. However, the war also benefited American society, especially its marginalized sectors, such as women and black slaves. Black slaves helped the Union efforts in the war and claimed their freedom after it, thereby legally abolishing black slavery practice as well as social discrimination against them. Women, meanwhile, assumed a significant role during the war, serving as nurses, government employees, and manufacturing employees as the male population participated in the war.
