Should the term 'Civil War' be capitalized when referring to the United States conflict?

Should the term 'Civil War' be capitalized when referring to the United States conflict?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Sometimes
• D. Only in titles

Answer: (A)

Capitalization of proper nouns, especially the names of specific historical events, follows the rule that unique, identifiable things get capitalized. The Civil War is the standard name for the specific conflict that took place in the United States from 1861 to 1865. Because it is the formal title of this particular event, it is written as Civil War in running text, with capital letters for both words. Writing it in lowercase, civil war, would turn the name into a generic phrase rather than the recognized title of the event. That’s why capitalizing is the correct convention here, not just in titles but in ordinary writing as well. The idea that it’s only in titles would misrepresent how the event is named in usual prose.

Capitalization of proper nouns, especially the names of specific historical events, follows the rule that unique, identifiable things get capitalized. The Civil War is the standard name for the specific conflict that took place in the United States from 1861 to 1865. Because it is the formal title of this particular event, it is written as Civil War in running text, with capital letters for both words.

Writing it in lowercase, civil war, would turn the name into a generic phrase rather than the recognized title of the event. That’s why capitalizing is the correct convention here, not just in titles but in ordinary writing as well. The idea that it’s only in titles would misrepresent how the event is named in usual prose.