Chapter 20 Girding for War: The North & The South 1861-1865

Lincoln warned against secession Impractical North and South not geographically divided Would lead to more problems National debt Federal territories Fugitive-slave issue

After Lincoln elected – 2 forts left in the South Fort Sumter After Lincoln elected – 2 forts left in the South Fort Sumter – Charleston, South Carolina Lincoln sent troops down with provisions for the fort SC saw this as an act of aggression 1st shots fired April 12, 1861 Virginia, Arkansas, and Tennessee seceded Lincoln called upon Union states to send militiamen

Border States Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia Slave states that did not secede Possessed Ohio River  important for both sides Lincoln’s reason for war = preserve the Union, not to end slavery  keeps border states happy American Indians Five Civilized Tribes – sided with the Confederacy Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Seminoles Plains Indians sided with the Union

North vs. South More money More people More factories More railroads Poor generals Forced to fight an offensive war More established gov’t Got to fight on own land- defensive war Strong generals – Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson Not a lot of factories and not as many people Fewer railroads Weak central gov’t Many supported their state more than the Confederacy

Britain and cotton Britain manufactures were dependent on Southern cotton and South thought Britain would intervene in the war But, most British and French supported the Union, so refused to get involve Union created blockade Union began selling corn and wheat to Britain Britain found a new source for cotton – Egypt

Foreign involvement of the war Trent Affair British ship stopped by Union and they arrest 2 Confederate diplomats Britain sends troops to Canada – Lincoln releases the Confederate prisoners Britain had been building iron ships for Confederacy  fear of losing Union trade and starting a war, London purchased the ships for the British Navy Military build-up along borders Canada – British Dominion of Canada Mexico – French – installed a gov’t in Mexico City

Limits on Civil Liberties Congress not in session when war started Lincoln took several actions normally only allowed to be done by Congress Initiated blockade, increased the size of the Federal army, had treasury advance money to private citizens for military purposes Suspended the writ of habeaus corpus – held without a trial

Economics of War North increased tariffs and excise taxes and created first income tax Morrill Tariff – protective tariff Treasury printed greenbacks – not backed by gold so value constantly changing Established National Banking System Sell bonds in order to give the paper money backing South Also issued bonds and raised taxes Forced to print blue-backed money  led to runaway inflation

Economics of War Blockade led to failing economy North South Economic boom Mechanical grain – easier to farm with fewer men at home Petroleum discovered – new form of energy Homestead Act of 1862 – could give out more land US Sanitary Commission More jobs for women Blockade led to failing economy Transportation collapsed Cotton was no longer competitive against industrialization