What You Need to Know about the American Civil War for STAAR L. Petersen
Dates:
Names for the Union Yankees United States of America Blues Federals The North
Names for the Confederacy Confederacy Confederate States of America Grays Rebels The South
Presidents US – Abraham Lincoln Capital – Washington, DC Confederacy – Jefferson Davis Capital – Richmond, VA
Views of Civil War South – states’ rights was their justification Union – First - To preserve the Union Much Later – to free slaves
Northern Advantages Larger population (North – 22 Million, South – 9 million including 3.5 million slaves)
Northern Advantages Most of the nation’s mineral deposits – iron, coal, copper, and other precious metals More factories - 86% of nation’s factories located in the North
Northern Advantages More Railroads – The North had 2.5 times the railroad mileage as the South U.S. Navy – Almost 90% of the U.S. ships stayed with the Union.
Northern Advantages Leadership of Abraham Lincoln - Lincoln pulled the nation through the most difficult time in its existence. A lesser man would not have been able to do that.
Southern Advantages Generals – many West Point trained 1/3 of the career officers in the U.S. Army resigned to join the Confederacy
Southern Advantages Fighting a Defensive War; didn’t have to invade North, just not lose Northern troops did not know the territory Northern troops far away from supply lines
Southern Advantages Fighting for a Cause they believed in. Southerners believed that they were fighting for liberty based on the ideas in the Declaration of Independence.
Southern Advantages Leadership of Robert E. Lee - Inspired Confederate soldiers to fight on, despite the odds
Military Commanders Union – Ulysses S. Grant Confederacy – Robert E. Lee
Northern Strategy - Anaconda Plan – seize railroads & Mississippi River to split Confederacy, cut off supplies blockade ports capture Richmond
Southern Strategy – fight a defensive war, hold on until the North gave up capture Washington, DC.
Abraham Lincoln’s Speeches Emancipation Proclamation - freed slaves in rebelling states, NOT in border states Added abolition of slavery to war aims After Antietam
Abraham Lincoln’s Speeches Gettysburg Address – at dedication of Gettysburg battle site as national cemetery; said they were fighting to save the Union and democracy
Gettysburg Address Read the text at et/web/creative/lincoln/ speeches/gettysburg.ht m
Abraham Lincoln’s Speeches 2nd Inaugural Address -encouraged everyone to think of the Union, wanted to bring the country back together peacefully
2 nd Inaugural Address Read the text at m/124/pres32.html
Important Events & Battles: Ft. Sumter - First battle Antietam - Emancipation Proclamation issued after this battle; new emphasis on fighting to free slaves keeps European nations out of the civil war
Important Events & Battles Vicksburg – Union captured the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River; Union controls Mississippi River
Important Events & Battles: Gettysburg - turning point of the war, North slowly gets the advantage as Southern casualties grow; Gettysburg Address follows it
Important Events & Battles: Appomattox Courthouse, VA- Lee surrenders to U.S. Grant, ending the war South loses
Reconstruction The period of reuniting the country after the Civil War. Much bitterness felt by the South – lasted for generations
Lincoln Assassinated John Wilkes Booth – Southerner Made Reconstruction harder on the South Lincoln had wanted peace People wanted to punish the South after his death
Reconstruction Seceding states had to go through a process to be formally readmitted into the Union Confederate officers lost citizenship until pardoned
Reconstruction Amendments 13 – freed slaves 14 – gave former slaves citizenship (also had details about citizenship for former Confederates)
Reconstruction Amendments 15 – right to vote guaranteed to all races (aimed at African Americans) Free Citizens Vote