Causes & Strategies
What event officially started the Civil War?
➡ Fort Sumter
What was the significance of the Battle of Bull Run?
➡ It showed that a quick victory was impossible
Who was president of the Confederate States of America?
Jefferson Davis
What did the Emancipation Proclamation declare? be specific.
Enslaved people in Confederate states were free
What was the greatest cause of death during the Civil War?
➡ Disease
What was Lincoln’s main goal at the start of the war?
➡ To preserve the Union
What made the Battle of Antietam especially notable?
➡ It was the bloodiest single day in U.S. history
What was Robert E. Lee’s main reason for fighting for the South?
Loyalty to his home state, Virginia
Why didn’t the Emancipation Proclamation free slaves in border states?
➡ Lincoln didn’t want to push them toward joining the Confederacy
How did ironclad ships change naval warfare?
They were armored and nearly impossible to destroy with cannon fire
What were the three parts of the Union’s “Anaconda Plan”?
Blockade ports, control the Mississippi River, capture Richmond
Why was Gettysburg considered a turning point in the war?
Lee’s army was forced to retreat and never invaded the North again
What was the 54th Massachusetts Regiment known for?
Being the first major African American regiment; bravery at Fort Wagner
How did the Emancipation Proclamation change the war’s purpose?
➡ It made the war about ending slavery, not just preserving the Union
What was Sherman's approach as Union general?
TOTAL WAR
Why did the Confederacy hope for help from Britain and France?
They believed European countries depended on Southern cotton
How did the Battle of Vicksburg help the Union?
it gave them control of the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy
What role did Clara Barton play during the Civil War?
Nurse and "Angel of the Battlefield,” later founded the Red Cross
What key American document did Lincoln reference in the Gettysburg Address?
The Declaration of Independence
Where did Lee surrender to Grant, ending the war?
➡ Appomattox Court House, Virginia
What was the South’s main military strategy?
Defend their territory and outlast the North’s will to fight
What made Sherman’s March to the Sea an example of “total war”?
He destroyed everything useful to the Confederacy to weaken morale and resources
How did Harriet Tubman contribute to the war effort?
Led the Combahee River Raid and freed over 700 enslaved people
Helped lead Union soldiers
Helped smuggle goods
What major idea did Lincoln connect to in the Gettysburg Address?
Equality and liberty for all citizens in a united nation
Why were Grant’s surrender terms considered generous?
Confederates could keep horses and return home without punishment