Chapter 16 Summary The Civil War

Lesson 01 - Texas Joins the Confederacy The North and South were divided on the issue of slavery. The North’s economy was based on small farms and industry, while enslaved workers were an important part of the economy of Southern plantations. The newly formed Republican Party opposed the spread of slavery to new territories and wanted to raise tariffs on imported goods, which would hurt the Southern economy.

Lesson 01 - Texas Joins the Confederacy Cont... Many Southern states advocated for their sovereignty and the rights of the individual states because they worried that if Republicans gained control of the government, they would put an end to slavery. Divisions on these issues promoted sectionalism, and people focused on what would benefit their region rather than the nation as a whole.

Lesson 01 - Texas Joins the Confederacy Cont... When Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, six Southern states seceded from the Union. In February 1861, Texas also seceded from the Union and adopted the Ordinance of Secession, which claimed that the U.S. government had abused its power and interfered with the interests of Texas.

Lesson 01 - Texas Joins the Confederacy Cont... Texas sent representatives to join with the other Southern states at a meeting in Montgomery, Alabama, to form the Confederate States of America. Texas Governor Sam Houston would not take the oath of allegiance to the Confederacy and was removed from office. He was replaced by Edward Clark.

Lesson 01 - Texas Joins the Confederacy Cont... The Civil War began when Confederate troops opened fire on Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

Lesson 02- Lone Star State in the War Confederate President Jefferson Davis initiated the Conscription Act, requiring all men between 18 and 35 to serve in the Confederate army. There were two well-known Confederate fighting units that came from Texas. One was Hood’s Brigade and was led by Brigadier General John Bell Hood. The other was Terry’s Texas Rangers, which was led by Benjamin Franklin Terry.

Lesson 02- Lone Star State in the War Cont... There were some Texans who supported the Union, including Mexicans and African Americans. Many tried to escape to the North or to Mexico, and some even joined Union troops. The Union set up a blockade along the Gulf of Mexico to prevent the South from shipping cotton to Europe and from receiving supplies in return.

Lesson 02- Lone Star State in the War Cont... In October 1862, a Union fleet was able to defeat Confederate forces at the port of Galveston, which was a serious blow to the Confederacy. General John B. Magruder led Confederate troops and gunboats to retake Galveston. They defeated the Union soldiers and regained control of the port. Galveston remained under Confederate control for the rest of the war.

Lesson 02- Lone Star State in the War Cont... Meanwhile, Union troops were also trying to gain access to Texas by capturing the Sabine Pass. Confederate forces at Fort Griffin held the Union forces back. The Union also tried to capture Brownsville to stop shipments of cotton and goods through Mexico but was unable to do so.

Lesson 03- Hardships at Home During the Civil War, Texas faced economic hardship and shortages of goods. While men were off fighting in the war, the women who remained at home performed men’s work as well as their own duties. They also helped poorer families and wounded soldiers.

Lesson 03- Hardships at Home Cont... The Union blockade caused shortages of many items for Texas, including cloth, coffee, paper, and medicines. Texans worked to replace these items with homespun and “Confederate coffee.” However, newspapers stopped printing because of paper shortages, and diseases spread because there was a shortage of medicines.

Lesson 03- Hardships at Home Cont... On April 9, 1865, the Confederate troops officially surrendered to the Union. But Confederate forces west of the Mississippi, including Texas, continued fighting. The final battle at Palmito Ranch on May 13, 1865, was the final battle in the war.

Lesson 03- Hardships at Home Cont... Texas and the rest of the South faced many challenges following the Civil War. Southern governments had collapsed, the Emancipation Proclamation had freed enslaved African Americans, and much of the property had been destroyed during the battles.