Secession & Border States
Which state was the first to secede after Lincoln’s election in 1860?
South Carolina
What was the Union’s overall plan to defeat the South called?
The Anaconda Plan.
What is habeas corpus?
The right to be brought before a court when arrested.
What year was the Emancipation Proclamation issued?
1863.
Who were the Copperheads?
Northern Democrats who opposed the war and criticized Lincoln.
Why was Maryland so important to keep in the Union?
It surrounded Washington, D.C., protecting the Union capital.
What was the main goal of the Union blockade?
To cut off Confederate trade and supplies.
How did both Lincoln and Davis use wartime powers?
Suspended civil liberties to maintain control and order.
Why did Lincoln issue it after Antietam?
He needed a Union victory to justify the shift in war aims.
Why did some Southerners oppose Jefferson Davis?
They believed he centralized too much power.
What was Kentucky’s initial position at the start of the war?
Declared neutrality.
Why did the Confederacy choose Richmond, Virginia as its capital?
It had strong industry and railroads.
Why was the Confederate draft controversial?
It contradicted states’ rights and allowed wealthy men to buy exemptions.
What did the Proclamation actually do?
Freed enslaved people in states still in rebellion.
What was one major economic impact of the Civil War on the North?
Industrial growth and expansion.
Why did Missouri remain in the Union despite divided loyalties?
Strong presence of U.S. Army prevented Confederate control.
Why did cotton diplomacy fail?
Europe found new cotton suppliers and stayed neutral.
What phrase summed up poor Southerners’ anger about conscription?
“A rich man’s war but a poor man’s fight.”
How did the Proclamation change the purpose of the war?
The war now aimed to preserve the Union and end slavery.
How did the Civil War affect federal vs. state power?
Strengthened the power of the federal government.
What theory did Southern leaders use to justify secession?
The idea of states’ rights — states could leave voluntarily since they had joined voluntarily.
Why did control of the Mississippi River matter so much?
It split the Confederacy and disrupted supply routes.
What happened to those who criticized the Confederate government?
They could be jailed or silenced for disloyalty.
Why did the Proclamation help prevent foreign intervention?
Britain and France would not support a nation fighting to preserve slavery.
Why was Reconstruction necessary after the war?
To reunite the Union and rebuild the South politically and economically.