From the Civil War to the Ku Klux Klan, the United States Has Long Been Divided

A report traces the country’s political divisions back to the Civil War, recalling Abraham Lincoln’s attempt to signal reconciliation after the North’s victory and his assassination four days later.

3 Nov 2026

The United States’ political divisions long predate recent election campaigns. A report looking back at the country’s history points to the Civil War and its aftermath as evidence of how difficult national reconciliation has been.

On April 10, 1865, after Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s surrender marked the North’s victory, President Abraham Lincoln ordered a band to play “Dixie,” an anthem associated with the pro-slavery enemy. He explained that it was time to bring the nation together.

Four days later, Lincoln was assassinated. The episode underscored the obstacles to political harmony in the United States, a challenge that the report traces from the Civil War era to the present day.

Sources: La Repubblica.

From the Civil War to the Ku Klux Klan, the United States Has Long Been Divided

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