The American Civil War was a conflict that took place from 1861 to 1865. In the years prior to the Civil War, the United States was divided over the issue of slavery. States in the South were enslaving states, while Northern states were free. When Abraham Lincoln was elected president, several Southern states feared that he would end slavery and decided to secede. Eventually, the North defeated the South, enslaved people were freed, and the country was reunited.

The civil rights movement was a national social movement that began in 1954 and fought to end racial injustice, including segregation and discrimination against African Americans. The movement, led by Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of the most iconic and important in US history; however, it was also a time of great violence and division. The civil rights movement eventually resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Although these were crucial steps toward justice, systemic racism remains a part of daily life in the US today.