A civil war is a violent conflict in which the competing parties are segments of the same country or empire. Civil war is usually a high intensity stage in an unresolved political struggle for national control of state power. The conflict may be over matters such as religion, ethnicity, or distribution of wealth. Some civil wars are also categorized as revolutions when major societal restructuring is a possible outcome of the conflict.
Examples of civil wars include:
See also:
The Civil War is also a term used to represent the annual football game between the Oregon State University Beavers and the University of Oregon Ducks. It has since broadened to refer to any athletic or academic competition between the two universities.