The War that Remade the Union Did the changes brought about by the American Civil War change the character of the United States?

War Begins South – secedes North – proclaims secessions illegal South – seizes federal property North – fortifies Southern forts still loyal to the Union (Ft. Sumter, Pensacola) South – attacks Fort Sumter before reinforcements arrive, April 12, 1861 North – calls up 75,000 volunteers 4 Border states secede

North v South North South 20 million people Manufacturing 9x greater than South Production of goods to support the troops Network of railroads Navy/Merchant Marine 9 million Cotton King Southern troops would go without basic necessities Home Court advantage Great Britain Doesn’t work Other sources of cotton Need for wheat from the North

Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861 Battle of Manassas North attacked 20 miles south of Washington DC South stood its ground (Stonewall Jackson) North retreated South did not follow through Southern morale booster North wake up call 900 dead, 3,000 casualties – from the two sides

Course of the War in Generals Robert E Lee Thomas Stonewall Jackson Joseph Johnston George McClellan Henry Halleck McClellan Ambrose Burnside Joseph Hooker George Meade (Gettysburg) Ulysses S Grant (Vicksburg, Chattanooga) William Sherman (Georgia)

Cost in Lives Over 600,000 Americans killed in the Civil War Battle of Shiloh (Grant) 2 days – 73,000 soldiers killed More than all previous American wars combined

Financial Cost of the War High on both sides $2.2 billion on each side 1st income tax collected (1861) North exempted people making less than $800/year Greenbacks printed As opposed to yellowbacks – backed by gold Confederacy also printed paper money Printed money’s worth was reflected in confidence of the success in the war effort Cost of living in the North doubled by the end of the war Confederate money was worth 2 cents in yellowbacks by 1865

Women in the War Both in North and South – women stayed home to take care of property, farms, children, businesses Women engaged in producing materials for the War Effort Elizabeth Blackwell – 1st American Female Doctor Organizes US Sanitary Commission Over 3,000 army nurses

Black Soldiers Blacks fought in the Revolutionary War 1792 ban on Black Soldiers serving Ban lifted in 1862 Massachusetts establishes first Black Regiment (White Officers) – 54th Regiment May 1863 – Bureau of Colored Troops established as a federal office

US Congress During the War Radical Republicans versus the Copperhead Democrats Radical Republicans sought immediate emancipation of slaves Copperheads sought a negotiated settlement with the South Homestead Act (1862) – 160 acres to settlers who farm the land for 5 years Pacific Railway Act (1862) – establish subsidies in land and money to build a transcontinental railroad

Lincoln’s Method On freeing the slaves: “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves; I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that…I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men, everywhere, could be free.”

Martial Law In many areas Lincoln gave the military courts jurisdiction Landmark Supreme Court Cases Ex parte Merryman Held General Cadwalader in contempt for not producing a prisoner to a civilian court Ex parte Milligan Ruled that where civilian courts are in operation, military courts may not be used General Grant’s Order to Expel the Jews and its Repeal

Emancipation Proclamation Executive Military Order Previous law passed – all slaves owned by rebels would be freed (dependent on status of owner) Announced September 1862 to go into effect January 1, 1863 Effected only slaves in areas in rebellion, not slave states that had remained loyal or areas previously conquered by the North Stop flow of fleeing slaves to the North – Republican line Encourage freed blacks to join Union army

Draft Riots Exemption could be bought for $300 After Emancipation Proclamation – perception became that the war was being fought to free the slaves Free Slaves would become competition for poor whites who could not purchase exemption from draft Riots against blacks who they were fighting for and the rich/middle class who paid to get out of the army Gangs of NY - Draft Riot Scene

Appomattox Court House Robert E Lee surrenders to Ulysses Grant Terms Confederates lay down their weapons and go home War is over Confederate soldiers were allowed to retain their horses Grant’s initiative as per Lincoln’s desire for conciliation