Which battle marked the first major battle of the American Civil War?

• A. First Battle of Manassas
• B. Battle of Bull Run
• C. Battle of Gettysburg
• D. Battle of Antietam

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is identifying the first large-scale, land battle that marked the start of major combat in the Civil War. The clash near Manassas, Virginia, in July 1861 is widely regarded as that first major engagement. It involved substantial forces on both sides and ended with a Confederate victory, signaling that the war would be longer and more brutal than quickly resolved. This battle is known by two names: First Battle of Manassas and Battle of Bull Run. In many textbooks and exams, the common reference is Battle of Bull Run, which is why it’s the best answer for this question. The other battles happened later in the war—Antietam in 1862 and Gettysburg in 1863—and thus do not represent the initial major clash.