Section 17.1
How did the Civil War begin?
What were each side's strategies in the war and why?
Union Army - They planned to use their navy to blockade southern ports (cutting off South's supplies and goods from Europe), seize control of the Mississippi River to prevent the South from supplying troops, and seize the Confederates' capital to end the war quickly.
Confederate Army - They planned to fight a defensive war (which could become very unpopular in the North) and count on European money and supplies to help win the war. They believed Europe needed their cotton and would recognize them as an independent nation.
Why was Lincoln cautious about the issue of slavery?
He knew that four slave states still remained in the Union, and losing those states could shift the advantage to the South.
What important roles did women play in the war? Who were some significant contributing women?
Women took over the men's jobs in industry and farming. They held fairs and other fundraisers to help pay for supplies for the army. Many women also worked as nurses when doctors finally allowed it after soldiers began flooding army hospitals.
In the North, Dorothea Dix worked in reforming prisons and mental hospitals, Clara Barton worked as a nurse in army hospitals, and Sojourner Truth worked in hospitals and camps for freed slaves. In the South, Sally Tompkins set up and worked in her own army hospital.
Describe the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.
The Battle of Gettysburg was the most important battle of the Civil War and lasted 3 bloody days. General Lee led his victorious army from Chancellorsville north into Pennsylvania.
Day 1 - Union General George Meade met Lee's army in Gettysburg. The Confederates pushed the Union out of the town, and the Union took up a solid position overlooking their enemy.
Day 2 - Lee ordered his army to attack, but the Union was well prepared. The Confederates couldn't break Union lines and suffered heavy casualties.
Day 3 - Lee ordered General Pickett to lead 15,000 men into the center of the Union line. The troops were in clear view of the enemy, and row upon row of Confederates were killed.This last attack, known as Pickett's charge, was a complete failure.
Name the President, capital, and nickname of each side in the war.
Union Army: President - Abraham Lincoln; Capital - Washington, D.C.; Nickname - Yankees
Confederate Army: President - Jefferson Davis; Capital - Richmond,Virginia; Nickname - Rebels
What was the Battle of Bull Run and what were its results?
On July 21st, 1861, Union troops headed to Richmond, Virginia and battled Confederates near a Virginia stream known as Bull Run. Confederate General Stonewall Jackson held his ground as Union troops panicked and retreated. The results showed both sides needed training and it would be a long, bloody war.
What were African American contributions in the Union Army throughout the war?
At first, black volunteers were assigned to white officers and performed noncombat duties such as building roads and guarding supplies. They received half the pay of white soldiers.
Then, after protesting, black soldiers were fighting in major battles and eventually received equal pay. 200,000 blacks fought for the Union and nearly 40,000 died in battle.
Describe the conditions for Union and Confederate soldiers.
Soldiers had to drill for long hours and sleep on the ground in all weather. They learned how to stand firm before cannon shots and deadly bullets. The improvement of technology during the war made weapons even more fatal; more accurate rifles and improved cannons caused the deaths of 1/4 or more of the soldiers in every battle.
Medical care was also very crude, since routine amputations were performed very often and without gloves, masks, or antiseptic. There were very poor sanitary conditions, especially for prisoners of war.
Why did the victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg signify a major turning point in the war?
The Union now had total control of the Mississippi River (after conquering Vicksburg) and the Confederates would never again invade the North (after conquering Gettysburg). However, the South was still determined to fight, and the war would drag on for two more years.
Who were the generals on each side known as Civil War Leaders?
Union Army - General Ulysses S. Grant (born in Ohio, trained at West Point Academy)
Confederate Army - General Robert E. Lee (born in Virginia, trained at West Point Academy)
What was the Battle of Antietam, and what were its results?
In September of 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee led his troops in Maryland. A Union officer found a copy of Confederacy plans at an abandoned campsite and gave it to Union General George McClellan, who was slow to act. More than 23,000 soldiers died from both sides. Lee ordered his troops back to Virginia, so the North claimed a victory. McClellan was removed from his position for not pursuing the enemy troops.
What was the 54th Massachusetts Regiment? How did they contribute the war, and what did they help prove?
The 54th Massachusetts Regiment was an all-black regiment from across the North. They led an attack on Fort Wagner in Charleston, South Carolina on July 18th, 1863. Though they lost, they proved themselves "the bravest of the brave", and helped prove that African American soldiers were just as loyal and courageous as white soldiers.
What problems did the North face at home during the war?
War supporters disliked Copperheads, or northerners who opposed using force to save the Union. Public northern support decreased as the war dragged on. Since there was a shortage of volunteers to serve the army, Congress passed a draft law that forced all able-bodied men between 20 and 45 to serve in the army if they were called to. To get out of serving, someone could pay the government $300 or hire someone in his place.
This led to riots in northern cities. Some white northerners didn't want to fight to end slavery and were worried they'd have to compete with African Americans for jobs. As a result, Lincoln often suspended habeas corpus, or the right to not be imprisoned without reason, and nearly 14,000 northerners were arrested, most never actually charged with a crime.
What was General Grant's plan for ending the war and how did he execute it?
He wanted to wage total war (destroy all food, equipment, and anything else useful to the enemy). Grant ordered General Sheridan to destroy 2,000 grain-filled barns, many farms, and livestock in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. In September of 1864, he also ordered General Sherman to set Atlanta, Georgia to flames, destroy railroad tracks, tear up fields, kill livestock, and burn houses, barns, factories, and bridges.
What were each side's reasons for fighting?
North - They thought they had a right to save the Union (abolishing slavery was not a goal).
South - They thought they had a right to leave the Union and wanted to keep their traditional way of life, including slavery.
Describe the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville and their results.
In December of 1862, Union General Ambrose Burnside met Lee's troops in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Confederates had a stronger defensive position, leading to a complete disaster for the Union.
In May of 1863, Confederate Generals Lee and Jackson defeated Union troops again in Chancellorsville, Virginia. It was another disastrous loss for the Union, but the Confederates also lost Jackson, who was shot by a Confederates sentry mistaking him for a Union officer.
How did slaves contribute to the war behind Confederate lines?
While slaves were still expected to work in the South, many slowed down their work or refused to work at all. When Union troops came to fight in the South, slaves ran behind northern lines for freedom. By the end of the war, about 1/4 of southern slaves escaped to freedom.
What problems did the South face at home during the war?
Many southerners refused to pay taxes to a central government and believed firmly in the states' rights. A draft law was passed, just like in the North. To get out of serving, someone had to own or supervise 20 or more slaves. Southerners who had few or no slaves resented this law. With very few volunteers, Confederate Congress finally agreed to allowing slaves to serve in the army, but by then the war had ended.
Who won the Presidential Election of 1864, and what did the winner declare in his inaugural address?
Abraham won the election. In his (second) inaugural address, he declared that he strived for a lasting peace throughout the U.S. and other nations, and wanted to bind up the nations wounds by promoting peace, forgiveness, and justice.
What were the strengths and weaknesses of each side at the beginning of the war?
North - 71% of the American population; 71% of the nation's railroad tracks; 97% of the nation's firearms; 92% of the nation's manufactured goods.
South - 75% of the nation's farmland for food; 96% of the nation's cotton.
Describe the Union victories in the West, including the Battle of Shiloh, and their results.
In February of 1862, Union General Ulysses S. Grant captured Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in Tennessee.
Grant and his troops were surprised in Shiloh, Tennessee by Confederate troops, but called for reinforcements and defeated their enemies.
In April of 1862, Union navy gunboats captured New Orleans, Louisiana and Memphis, Tennessee, and the South officially couldn't use the river as a supply line.
What were the terms of the Emancipation Proclamation? What was the reasoning behind its motives/timing, and how did different people react to it?
The Emancipation Proclamation stated that slaves in the Confederate states would be freed. Slaves in the Union or Confederate lands captured by the Union would not be freed.
Lincoln used it as a strategic move to broaden the war's goal. He wanted to weaken the ability of the Confederacy to carry on in the war and also slowly introduce the idea of emancipation. Lincoln waited for a Union victory, the Battle of Antietam, to issue the formal proclamation on January 1st, 1863.
Abolitionists rejoiced at the proclamation, while the South was greatly offended. The North also won Europe's approval with it, since most of Europe had abolished slavery by then.
How did the war affect the economies of the North and the South?
Money was needed for the war. The North issued bonds worth millions of dollars, and the South took 1/10 of the crops of every farmer. In both the North and the South, income taxes were issued and huge amounts of money were printed. This led to wild inflation since each dollar became worth less. Also, the South tried to force Britain to buy cotton from them, but Britain turned to other countries instead, and the Union blockade caused food and supply shortages by cutting off most Atlantic deliveries.
However, the war helped the North's economy as well. Since many farmers had left to fight, people purchased reapers to maintain the farms, and production levels rose. Profiteers charged excessive prices for goods the government desperately needed for the war.
What happened at the end of the Civil War? Include the last few battles, where losing side surrendered, and the terms of the surrender.
In May of 1865, Grant led his troops to Virginia, and over 60,000 men were killed or wounded in the Battles of Cold Harbor, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania. Then, Lee and his troops were under siege for nine months in Petersburg. Petersburg and Richmond were captured on April 2nd, 1865.
Lee and his army retreated to a small Virginian town called Appomattox Court House. Surrounded by Union troops, Lee surrendered on April 9th, 1865. Grant was very generous to the defeated Confederates. Soldiers had to turn over their rifles, although officers could keep their pistols. Anyone with a horse could keep it, and the soldiers would return to their homes without being disturbed.