The official end of the American Civil War is marked by the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. This significant event symbolized the collapse of the Confederacy and the reunification of the United States. Although other Confederate forces continued to fight for a short period, Lee's surrender represented the de facto end of the conflict. Following the war, the nation faced the enormous challenge of reconstruction and integrating the Southern states back into the Union while addressing the issues of slavery and civil rights.