1. A Secession from the Confederacy
In western VA a movement to secede from VA and rejoin the Union grew.
In counties organized themselves as a separate state called West Virginia.
WV was admitted as a state in 1863.

2. Comparing North & South
When the Civil War began both sides had advantages and disadvantages.
Northern Advantages
Larger Population
More industry
More natural resources

3. Comparing North & South
Northern Advantages
A better banking system
More ships and most members of the Navy remained loyal to the North.
The North had a more efficient railroad system.

4. Comparing North & South
North Disadvantages
Bringing Southern States back into the Union would be difficult.
The North would have to invade and hold the South that would have a large and hostile population with a large area.
Southerners support for the war strong which could not be under estimated.

5. Comparing North & South
South Advantages
Strong support of the whiter population.
South was fighting in familiar territory defending their land, homes and way of life.
Military leadership was superior to that of the North.

6. Comparing North & South
South Advantages
Southern families had a strong tradition of military training.
Military College graduates (West Point) provided the South with a larger pool of officers.
Jefferson Davis, a West Point graduate oversaw the South’s endeavors and he was an experienced soldier.

7. Comparing North & South
South disadvantages
South had a smaller population of free men to draw from.
It lacked factories for weapons and munitions manufacturing.
It produced less than half as much food as the North.

8. Comparing North & South
South disadvantages
The South’s train system was inferior to that of the North.
It had fewer trains and a hard time connecting systems together.
With the train system the way it was it had a difficult time delivering, weapons, ammo troops and food.

9. Comparing North & South
South disadvantages
The belief in states rights, a founding principal of the Confederacy, hampered southern efforts.
The individual states refused to give the Confederate government sufficient power to execute the war and could not fight the war effectively.

10. Strategies & Aims of the War
The main goal of the Union from the beginning was to bring the South back into the Union.
Ending slavery was not a main goal the North at first, but would change later.

11. Strategies & Aims of the War
Unions plan for winning the War
Blockade southern ports to prevent trade and also keep the South from receiving war supplies.
Union wanted to gain control of the Mississippi River to cut Southern supply lines and split the Confederacy.

12. Strategies & Aims of the War
Unions plan for winning the War
The Union planned to capture Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy.

13. Strategies & Aims of the War
For the South its primary goal was to win recognition as an independent nation.
Independence would allow southerners to carry on their traditions.
Slavery would continue.

14. Strategies & Aims of the War
To Achieve becoming an independent nation it worked out a defensive strategy.
Defend the homeland holding on to as much territory as possible until the North grew tired of fighting.

15. Strategies & Aims of the War
The Confederacy expected France and Britain to apply pressure to the North because those countries imported cotton from the South.
At times the South assumed an offensive role attacking cities in the North and moving armies within striking distance of Washington DC.

16. American Against American
Leaders from the North and the South felt the divisions.
Mary Todd Lincoln had several relatives who fought for the South.
Sen. John Crittenden had 2 sons who became generals; one for the North, one for the South.

17. American Against American
Officers on both sides attended West Point together- Gen. Rbt E Lee, Gen George McCLellan, Gen Wm Tecumseh Sherman.
Other Generals, Ulyssis S Grant, Stonewall Jackson, Gen Bouregarde, AP Hill, Gen Burnside all served in the Mexican War together and at West Point.

18. Who were the Soldiers Most soldiers were young.
Average recruiting age was 25.
40% were 21 or younger.
Some were as young as 16 and some lied about their age serving at age 12.
Most soldiers came from farms.
At first the North did not allow African Americans to join the Army.

19. Who were the Soldiers
Lincoln’s early terms of enlistment were for 90 days.
When the war did not end enlistments became longer.
By the summer of 1861 the Confederacy had 112,000 soldiers or rebels as they were called.

20. Who were the Soldiers
The Union at that time had 187,000 soldiers or Yankees or blue bellies.
By the end of the war 850,000 men fought for the South.
2,100,000 fought for the North.
The Union number included just short of 200,000 blacks and 10,000 hispanics.

21. False Hopes Each side expected a quick victory.
Both sides were confident in their ability to win the war.
Gen Wm Tecumseh Sherman though thought it would be a long war and after the first spring was proven correct.