easy
What year did the Civil War begin?
1861
Name two causes of the Civil War.
slavery, states’ rights, economic differences, sectionalism, Lincoln’s election
How did the election of Abraham Lincoln contribute to Southern secession?
Southerners believed Lincoln would stop the expansion of slavery; his election convinced them they had lost political power, leading to secession.
How did international politics and foreign nations (such as Britain and France) influence the strategies of both the Union and Confederacy, and why did the Confederacy ultimately fail to gain formal recognition?
The Confederacy hoped Britain and France would recognize it because European textile industries relied on Southern cotton. However, several factors prevented recognition
I was a Union general known for “total war” and burning a path through Georgia. Who am I?
William Tecumseh Sherman
Who was president of the United States during the Civil War?
Abraham Lincoln
Why was the Battle of Gettysburg a turning point in the war?
It stopped the Confederacy’s advance north and marked the beginning of major Union victories.
Explain how the Civil War changed the balance of power between the federal government and the states.
The federal government gained more authority—such as the power to enforce civil rights and prevent states from seceding.
To what extent did the Civil War represent a “Second American Revolution”? Defend your answer with at least three major structural changes in U.S. society.
The Civil War is often considered a Second American Revolution because it:
Destroyed the slave-based economic system that shaped the South for centuries.
Strengthened the federal government, establishing supremacy over states on issues like rights, taxation, and military authority.
Transformed social structures, allowing African Americans to serve in the military, vote, hold political office, and pursue education.
Shifted the nation toward industrial capitalism, with railroads, factories, and a wartime economy accelerating modernization.
I assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Who am I?
John Wilkes Booth
What were the two sides fighting in the Civil War called?
Union (North) and Confederacy (South)
What did the Emancipation Proclamation actually do, and what were its limitations?
It freed enslaved people in Confederate-held areas but not in Union slave states; it also allowed African Americans to join the Union army.
Compare Presidential Reconstruction with Congressional (Radical) Reconstruction.
lenient, wanted quick reunification
Evaluate the competing goals of Lincoln, Radical Republicans, and Southern leaders during Reconstruction. Whose vision was most realistic, and whose was most radical?
Lincoln’s vision: Quick reunification, leniency, “malice toward none.” Most realistic politically, but he was assassinated before implementation.
Radical Republicans: Transform the South through military occupation, full civil rights, land redistribution, and punishment for Confederate leaders. Most radical, aiming for social restructuring.
Southern leaders: Restore pre-war racial and political dominance, using Black Codes and violence to reassert control.
I wrote the famous Civil War speech that begins with “Four score and seven years ago…” Who am I?
Abraham Lincoln
What was Lincoln’s main goal at the beginning of the war?
The period after the Civil War when the U.S. government tried to rebuild the South and integrate formerly enslaved people into society
How did new technologies (like the telegraph or railroads) affect the Civil War?
They allowed faster communication and troop movement; the telegraph helped coordinate strategies, and railroads transported supplies and soldiers.
How did Reconstruction succeed, and how did it fail? Give examples.
strict, aimed to protect freedmen’s rights and punish ex-Confederates.
Analyze how the U.S. Constitution was transformed by the Civil War Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th). Why do some historians argue these amendments marked the “founding of a new Constitution”?
Before the war, the Constitution protected slavery (3/5 compromise, fugitive slave clause).
After the war:
I became president after Lincoln’s assassination and clashed with Congress during Reconstruction. Who am I?
Andrew Johnson
Which organization was created during Reconstruction to help formerly enslaved people with food, education, and jobs?
The Freedmen’s Bureau
What were the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments designed to achieve?
13th—abolished slavery; 14th—citizenship & equal protection; 15th—voting rights for African American men.
How did the experiences of African American soldiers differ from those of white soldiers during the Civil War?
African American soldiers faced discrimination, lower pay at first, harsher treatment if captured, and segregated units; however, they played a crucial role in Union victory.
What were the long-term economic consequences of Reconstruction policies on both the North and the South? Include at least three consequences for each region.
South:
Remained economically backward due to destroyed infrastructure and reliance on sharecropping.
Land remained concentrated in white elites; economic mobility for African Americans was extremely limited.
Lack of industrial investment slowed growth for generations.
North:
War industries sparked rapid industrialization and corporate expansion.
Northern banks and railroad companies gained power and influence nationally.
A shift toward a national market economy accelerated urbanization and immigration.
The bloodiest single day in American history happened at the Battle of _______.
Antietam