Civil War Word Search
This Civil War word search covers the key people, battles and turning points of the American Civil War, from Fort Sumter and Gettysburg to emancipation and Reconstruction. It is designed as a review tool for upper elementary and middle school U.S. history units. Have students put the battles they find into chronological order on a timeline.
Civil War Word Search
Find and circle every word in the list. Words go across, down and diagonally.
- ABOLITION
- ANTIETAM
- APPOMATTOX
- CLARA BARTON
- CONFEDERACY
- DOUGLASS
- EMANCIPATION
- FORT SUMTER
- FREEDOM
- GETTYSBURG
- GRANT
- HARRIET TUBMAN
- LEE
- LINCOLN
- RECONSTRUCTION
- SECESSION
- SHERMAN
- SLAVERY
- STONEWALL
- UNION
Civil War Hidden Message Word Search
Find and circle every word in the list. Words go across, down and diagonally.
- ABOLITION
- ANTIETAM
- APPOMATTOX
- CLARA BARTON
- DOUGLASS
- EMANCIPATION
- FORT SUMTER
- FREEDOM
- GETTYSBURG
- HARRIET TUBMAN
- SECESSION
- SHERMAN
- SLAVERY
- STONEWALL
Hidden message: the leftover letters, read left to right and top to bottom, spell a secret message._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Civil War Word Search — Answer Key
Civil War Hidden Message Word Search — Answer Key
Hidden message: A new birth of freedom
About this civil war word search
- The Civil War began in April 1861 when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.
- President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and delivered the Gettysburg Address that November.
- General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, in April 1865.
- The 13th Amendment, ratified in December 1865, abolished slavery throughout the United States.
Want a different version? Make your own word search with these words, a shaped grid, or bent words.
Words in these puzzles
UnionConfederacyLincolnGrantLeeGettysburgAntietamFort SumterAppomattoxEmancipationAbolitionSecessionSlaveryFreedomReconstructionHarriet TubmanDouglassClara BartonShermanStonewall
Frequently asked questions
›Is this civil war word search free to print?
Yes. Print it straight from your browser or download the PDF, which includes 2 puzzles and their answer keys. No sign-up needed.
›Where is the answer key?
The answer keys print on their own pages after the puzzles, and they are in the PDF too. Every word is highlighted, so checking is quick.
›Can I make my own civil war word search?
Yes. Press "Customize this puzzle" to open it in the word search maker. There you can add or remove words, change the grid size, pick a shape or add a hidden message.