The location where General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Confederate Army to General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the American Civil War. This event signaled the beginning of the Reconstruction Era and the formal reunification of the United States.
The significance of this surrender lies in its culmination of four years of devastating conflict and its impact on the course of American history. It represents the failure of the Confederacy’s bid for independence, solidifying the Union and leading to the abolition of slavery. The terms of surrender, intentionally lenient, aimed to foster reconciliation and prevent further bloodshed, though challenges of Reconstruction remained.
