a) It led to the fall of Richmond

The Siege of Petersburg had a significant influence on the Civil War’s outcome as it led to the fall of Richmond, the Confederate capital. The siege, lasting from June 1864 to April 1865, was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, crucial for supplying the Confederate capital. The Union’s eventual breakthrough forced Confederate General Robert E. Lee to abandon both Petersburg and Richmond, leading to his surrender at Appomattox Court House. The fall of Richmond was a symbolic and strategic blow to the Confederacy, signaling the imminent end of the war.