In April 1861, a shot fired by the Confederates changed history forever. A bloody war began, leaving more than 618,000 dead in four years. More lives were lost than those in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, Spanish-American War, Korean War, and World Wars I and II combined .[1] Worse still, this war was one of Americans against Americans, brother against brother and father against son. The civil war had different causes in the North and the South. For the North, the war was justified by the unity of America and emancipation from slavery. For the South, it was a war to protect its way of life and its property. Therefore, due to individual ideals and perceptions, the bloodiest war in American history was a civil war that would reshape all of American history. Both the North and the South felt absolutely justified in going to war. Compromise was not an option. There would be no resolution until blood was shed. The Union Army led an invasion, an invasion on American soil. Subsequently, the march between Americans, in the bloodiest war, brought brother to fight, father against son. The Union army had to have a justifiable cause.[1] In July 1861, Congress passed the Crittenden-Johnson Resolutions, declaring support for a war "to defend and maintain the supremacy of the Constitution and to preserve the Union with all the dignity, equality and rights of the several States intact.” However, to secede from America was to go directly against the Constitution, defying the underlying principles on which our nation was founded. After secession, the States of America would no longer be united.[1] The Union viewed the Confederacy as a direct attack on America... middle of paper ......r owed more... to the inevitably opposing but equally selfish interests - or perceived interests - of the North and South than the differences. in their cultures and institutions. This war, in the eyes of those who fought, was fully justified and was fought with passion for the banner they flew. Blood was inevitable; it was only a matter of time before self-interest trumped love of friend and country.[1]Works Cited1. Schweikart,. and Larry and Allen, Michael. A history of America's patriots, from Columbus's great discovery to the War on Terror. New York; Penguin Group 2004. 1-872. Pessen, Edward. “How different were the Antebellum North and South from each other?.” The American Historical Review 85.5 (1980): The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the American Historical Association.1119-1149. November 26 11.