Final answer:
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union. Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant played pivotal roles in the Civil War for the Confederacy and Union, respectively. Lincoln's assassination significantly affected the course of Reconstruction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The First State to Secede from the Union
The first state to secede from the Union was South Carolina in December 1860, following the election of Abraham Lincoln as President. Lincoln viewed the act of secession as illegal and a threat to the democracy of the nation. He sought to prevent the Union from falling apart but held that the Union would not be the aggressor in the impending conflict. It was the Confederacy's attack on Fort Sumter that initiated the Civil War.
Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee was a Confederate general during the Civil War. He became the commanding general of the Confederate army and was known for his military tactics and his significant impact on the war. Lee's leadership in battles such as Antietam and Gettysburg marked key points in the war, though ultimately, the Confederacy was defeated.
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was a prominent general for the Union forces during the Civil War and later became the 18th President of the United States. His leadership was crucial for the Union's victory. Grant's victories at battles like Vicksburg and his role as a general who accepted Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House made him a pivotal figure during the Civil War.
Impact of Lincoln's Assassination on Reconstruction
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln in April 1865 had profound impacts on the Reconstruction era. Lincoln had advocacies for mild reconstruction policies towards the defeated South, but his death led to a much harsher Reconstruction under his successors, who imposed stricter terms and more punitive measures on the Southern states before they could be readmitted to the Union.