Wars of the 19th Century

By Robert McNamara, About.com Guide to 19th Century History

The 19th century was marked by warfare ranging from cataclysmic confrontations that rocked Europe and America to smaller conflicts that arose when empires, nationalities and even races came into conflict.

1. The American Civil War
2. Clashes of Civilizations in the 19th Century

The American Civil War

The Civil War in the United States began in 1861, but it had roots in sectional struggles and especially in the conflict over slavery that brewed in the nation for decades. When the way began, no one expected it to last for more than four years and cost many thousands of lives.

• Fredericksburg: Optimism Died in Late 1862
• The Irish Brigade: Blue Uniforms and a Green Flag
• New York City Draft Riots: The Battlefield was Manhattan
• The Kansas-Nebraska Act: Prelude to Civil War

Clashes of Civilizations in the 19th Century

Conflicts broke out in remote places throughout the 1800s, ranging from the Hindu Kush to the Great Plains of North America.

• The British Retreat from Kabul: Disaster in Afghanistan
• Custer Battles on the Great Plains