The Civil War and the B&O Railroad

The Civil War was the culmination of decades of bitter sectional conflict over the issue of slavery. The survival of our nation was put in jeopardy, and over six hundred thousand Americans lives were lost as a result of the battles that were fought before it came to an end. The railroads played a pivotal role in the war, and the B&O was, literally, in the middle of it all. This lesson plan focuses on the role played by the B&O during the war, and the impact the war had on the B&O. It is designed for use, either in whole or in part, for units of study about the events surrounding the Civil War, as well as the impact the war had on the process of industrialization.