Important People
Who was Fredrick Douglass?
Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave that was born in Maryland. After moving around to many masters, Frederick escaped slavery and settled in New Bedford. He then started presenting speeches against slavery and also spoke about his experience while being enslaved. Douglass became popular and was even recognized by Lincoln. Frederick originally supported Lincoln but stopped after he released the EP because Lincoln and Douglass' beliefs on slavery differed. Even so, he remained a strong speaker, writer, activist, and abolitionist.
What was the Battle of Bull run?
The Battle of Bull Run took place on july 21st, 1861 when Union General Irvin McDowell left D.C and went into Virginia attempting to seize the Confederate capital of Richmond and putting an end to the war. When they arrived, they encountered a force commanded by Confederate General Pierre G.T. Beauregard who was defending a railroad in Manassas, Virginia. When McDowell's forces attacked, the Confederates initially were driven back but reinforcements arrived which was a division led by General Thomas J. Jackson. Confederate victory
What was the 13 amendment and the emancipation proclamation and when were they made?
Lincoln issued the preliminary draft of the EP on September 22, 1862, and then issued the FINAL draft on January 1st, 1863 as the nation approached its 3rd year of the Civil War.
The 13th Amendment was passed by Congress on January 31st, 1865, and was made official on December 6th, 1865. This amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the US except as a punishment for a crime.
What was the assault on Fort Wagner?
The Assault on Fort Wagner was a Confederate Victory that took place in 1862 and first began in July. Fort Wagner stood on Morris Island which was guarding Charleston harbor. Union General Robert Gould Shaw and his MA 54tth were chosen to lead the attack on July 18th. The Union had to march 1,200 yds down the beach and faced many bullets from the Confederates. Robert Gould Shaw's troops were outnumbered and couldn't take the fort. Even with the failure, the battle proved that the African Americans could do well in battle.
Why were Richmond and Washington DC important
Washington D.C was the Union capital during the Civil War. It was home to the US Government and served as the base of operations for the Union army throughout the war. The Union army used D.C to mobilize and supply the Army of the Potomac, defend the eastern seaboard, and launch military attacks toward Richmond.
Richmond served as the capital of the Confederate States of America. It was a great source for weapons and supplies to the Confederates and it was the location of five railroads that were essential to the Confederates.
Who was George McClellan?
General George McClellan was remembered as the great organizer of the union army Potomac. He served Winfield Scott during the Mexican-American war and helped to construct railroads and bridges. Due to the outbreak of the Civil War, McClellan was made a major general of the Ohio volunteers in 1861. This promotion encouraged Lincoln to commission McClellan to be a major general in the Union army. He was removed from his command in the aftermath of the 1862 elections. Other factors were that he was cautious, timid, and didn't think some plans through. After being removed, he was nominated to be the democratic candidate running against his former boss, Abraham Lincoln, for the president position. He ran on an anti-war platform and said that he would negotiate peace terms with the Confederacy. He didn't become president.
What was the Battle of Vicksburg?
This battle took place from May 18th to July 4th of 1863. In May, Ulysses Grant sent his forces to attack Vicksburg, Mississippi several times but they were unable to get through the defense of the Confederates. That forced Grant to settle into a 47-day siege where he bombarded Vicksburg with artillery and fire from the Union gunboats and he forced the Confederates and the civilians to suffer hunger and illness. In June, Grant tried a last attack and told miners to tunnel under the Confederate forts and plant explosives. By July, Confederate general John Pemberton along with his 29,000 men couldn't hold out any longer and it was a Union victory.
* This granted the Union control of the supply line of the entire Mississippi River, and now the confederate territory was cut in half from east to west.
What was the Dred Scott decision?
The Dred Scott decision was a legal case where the Supreme Court on March 6th, 1857 ruled that the slave, Dred Scott who had lived in a free state, was not entitled to his freedom. This was because the former act, the Missouri Compromise, that declared freedom to all territories north of the 3630 parallel, was actually unconstitutional.
What was the battle of Gettysburg?
Took place from July 1st to July 3rd in the year 1863 in Pennsylvania and was a 3-day engagement. After the victory at Chancellorsville, Robert E. Lee and his army of Northern Virginia went into Pennsylvania in late June. On July 1st, they bumped into the Union army of the Potomac. The next few days, the Confederates attacked and managed to pierce the Union lines but eventually failed at the cost of thousands of confederate casualties. Lee was forced to withdraw his army toward Virginia on July 4th and the Union had won in a major turning point, stopping Lee's invasion of the North.
What was secession and why did it happen?
Secession in the Civil War was the withdrawal of 11 slave states (states where slavery was legal) from the Union during 1860-1861 following the election of Abraham Lincoln as president. It was one of the major components that led to the Civil War. The main cause of secession was that the southern states had a strong desire to preserve the institution of slavery since the south's agricultural economy relied so heavily on it.
Who was William T. Sherman?
William Tecumseh Sherman was a Union general during the Civil war and played a crucial role in the victory over the Confederate states. He led the Sherman's March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah Georgia which served to frighten the Georgian population into abandoning the Confederate cause. He fought in the Battle of Shiloh under Grant in the Army of West Tennessee and led the Union to Victory. After Lincoln recognized the value of Sherman, he received a commission as brigadier general of the regular army.
What was the battle of Fredricksburg?
The Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862 involved nearly 200,000 combatants, and Ambrose Burnside who was the newly appointed commander of the Army of the Potomac, ordered more than 120,000 troops to cross the Rappahannock River where they attacked the right and left flanks of Robert E. Lee's strong army of Northern Virginia. On both ends, Lee's troops turned back the Union assault which resulted in a Confederate victory.
What was the compromise of 1850?
The Compromise of 1850 was created by Senator Henry Clay and Stephen A. Douglas. It consisted of 5 bills to resolve disputes over slavery in new territories added to the US.
1. It admitted California as a free state (16th state)
2. Allowed Utah and New Mexico to decide for themselves whether they wanted to be slave states or free states
3. Defined a new Texas-New Mexico boundary
4. Allowed slavery in Washington D.C., but banned the slave trade
5. Made it easier for slaveowners to recover runaways under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
What were the weakness' and strengths of the north and south?
Union/North
22 million people: Larger army
More/Better supplies
21 thousand miles of the railroad: Better transportation/supply routes
The Navy: Ability to cut off trade between the south and other countries
No strong military leadership
were not on their homeland
Confederacy/union
9 million people: Smaller army
Not much manufacturing capabilities: Bad economy for a war
9 thousand miles of the railroad: Less transportation/supply routes
Strong military leadership: Robert E. Lee
Much of the war was fought on their home turf
They had the “cause”: They seceded for a reason; now they will fight for it
Importance of slavery to American Economy and Cotton and its importance to the American economy.
In the south, the economy was based on a system of large-scale farming that depended on labor performed by slaves. It paid for a great amount of iron and manufactured goods that allowed for American economic growth.
In America, cotton was a major part of the economy, and depended on slaves to perform the labor of picking the cotton. It accounted for over half of all american exports during the first half of the 19th century. The cotton market also supported America's ability to borrow money from abroad.
Who was Jefferson Davis?
Jefferson Davis was the first and only president of the Confederate States of America. President Franklin Pierce appointed him as U.S Secretary of War. In this position, he was recognized as one of the most capable administrators to hold the office. The Confederate Congress in Alabama selected him to become the President of the Confederacy on November 6th, 1861 and served throughout the whole war.
The Battle of Chancellorsville took place from April 30th to May 6th, 1863, and was a huge victory for the Confederacy though it is famous for being the battle where Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was mortally wounded. The battle was fought in Spotsylvania County, Virginia and Lee made a daring decision to face a force twice his size, (UNION GENERAL JOSEPH HOOKER'S ARMY OF THE POTOMAC) by splitting his own army into two. He then sent General Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson to force his way through a forest to outnumber units led by Union general, Joseph Hooker. After many days of fighting, the Union troops were driven back.
What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act?
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a bill that became law on May 30th, 1854 and it repealed the Missouri Compromise. It also allowed the settlers in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery. As well, the Act led to the violent rebellion called "Bleeding Kansas".
What was the Anaconda Plan?
The Anaconda Plan was a military strategy in an effort of a Union victory that was proposed by Winfield Scott. The idea was to surround and strangle the confederacy and to create a blockade along the coast and win as many battles as possible. Union ships would patrol the harbors and make sure no goods would come in from Europe to help the Confederacy. This would destroy the Confederate's economy.
What was the MA54th
The MA 54th Regiment was one of the first African American regiments to see major combat during the Civil War. The regiment was organized by Governor John A. Andrew and was led by captain Robert Gould Shaw who was a white officer with anti-slavery beliefs. The MA and the regiment were sent to fight in South Carolina, Georgia, and also North Carolina. As well as fighting the Confederates, the 54th also worked against the discrimination from the US government and also worked to receive equal pay. The overall impact and importance of the MA 54th were. Because of the bravery the MA 54th showed, the US Army increased the number of black enlistments, and about 180,000 African Americans served from 1863-1865
Who was Ulysses S. Grant?
Most famous Union general
Led the Siege of Vicksburg
What was the battle of Antietam?
This battle took place on September 17th, 1862 and occured in Maryland. It was the bloodiest single day of the civil war and resulted in the victory of the Union. General Robert E. Lee and his confederates of Northern Virginia invaded Maryland in an effort to attack the Union. Lincoln sent General George McClellan and his army of the Potomac to stop him. The 2 forces collided in a cornfield in Sharpsburg, Maryland. The battle then moved to a bridge along Antietam Creek and the Union had to storm a Confederate position 3 times before capturing it. This battle allowed Lincoln to issue the EP.
What was the Missouri Compromise?
It was initially passed in March of 1820, by Henry Clay when he requested a debate in Congress. The compromise of the debate stated for Missouri to be declared to the Union as a slave state as well as for Maine to be admitted as a free state. The Missouri Compromise also banned slavery from the left-over Louisiana Purchase lands located north (above) of the 36° 30' line. The Missouri Compromise was then overturned by the Kansas-Nebraska Act and slavery was then allowed in the area north of the 36° 30' line.
Who was Abraham Lincoln?
Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the U.S. in 1860 and was sworn in on March 4th, 1861. Lincoln's platform was not about ending slavery, however, he didn't want to see it expand and he thought the constitution protected it.
Important things he did
-Led the Union to defeat the Confederacy
-Issued the EP
-Enacted measures to abolish slavery such as ratify the 13th amendment
What were his beliefs on slavery?
-At the beginning of the war, Lincoln believed that the war was about going against states rebelling against the Union but then at the end, he believed that the war should be about ending slavery.
Who was Robert Gould Shaw?
Commander of the Massachusetts 54th
Died in the assault on Fort Wagner