1. Civil War Begins

2. United States of America vs. Confederate States of America

3. The War Begins
U.S. government declared it was illegal for any state to secede – Southerners disagreed
North is the Union ~ other nicknames are Blue Bellies, Yankees and Billy Yank
South is the Confederacy ~ other nicknames are Grey Backs, Rebels and Johnny Reb
Confederate troops seized all federal forts, navy yards and arsenals
arsenals – storehouse for weapons
500 volunteers seized the Alamo, a U.S. arsenal in Texas

4. North vs. South

5. The War Begins
One fort in the South was still being controlled by the Union
Fort Sumter, located in South Carolina, was important to the Confederacy
It guarded the port of the Charleston Harbor
On April 12, 1861, the Confederacy fired the first shot and attacked Fort Sumter
The Union quickly surrendered the fort the next day – ran out of ammunition
This marked the beginning of the Civil War that would last four (4) terrible years

6. Fort Sumter

7. Strengths and Weaknesses
South’s Disadvantages / North’s Advantages
Only 1 million men of fighting age in South
4 million men of fighting age in North
South’s population was 9 million
North’s population was 22 million
South had to import war supplies from Europe
North had factories (80%) to produce weapons
North had more railroads to move soldiers
North had stronger navy / larger fleet of ships
North’s government was more organized

8. Strengths and Weaknesses
South’s Advantages / North’s Disadvantages
South fighting a defensive war
North fighting offensive war – had to travel
South knew countryside better – “home turf”
North had huge area of unfamiliar land to conquer – “invaders”
South believed they were fighting for independence ~ defending their way of life
North had much longer supply lines to protect and open to attacks

9. Military Leaders South had more experienced military leaders
President Jefferson Davis
Graduated from West Point
Served as Secretary of War
Officer in Mexican War
General Robert E. Lee
Surrendered at Appomattox Court House

10. Robert E.
Lee
Jefferson Davis

11. Military Leaders
North had many military leaders throughout the Civil War
President Lincoln would appoint new commanders to try to get better results
Irvin McDowell – Bull Run
George B. McClellan – Antietam
Ambrose Burnside - Fredericksburg
George Meade - Gettysburg
Ulysses S. Grant – Shiloh and Vicksburg

12. Union Strategies The Union Navy attempted to blockade southern ports
blockade – closes a port by positioning ships to keep people or supplies from moving in or out
Ports were important to the South
South were dependent on imports from Europe for weapons and supplies
Union would seize control of the Mississippi River ~ New Orleans port

13. Civil War Blockades

14. Famous Battles
Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the Civil War in July 1861
Confederacy won the Battle of Bull Run
Both sides learned that their soldiers needed more training
It also showed that the war would be long and bloody
Union won the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862 ~ bloodiest battle of Civil War
Ulysses S. Grant would lead the Union army at Shiloh

15. Battle of Bull Run

16. Battle of Shiloh

17. Ulysses S. Grant

18. Famous Battles
Neither side was a clear winner in the Battle of Antietam in September 1862
23,000 Union and Confederate soldiers killed or wounded
In December 1862, Confederacy won the Battle of Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg was one of the Union’s worst defeats
In May 1863, Confederacy won the Battle of Chancellorsville

19. Battle of Antietam

20. Famous Battles In July 1863, Union won the Battle of Vicksburg
Union won the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863
These two (2) Union victories marked a turning point in the Civil War
It appeared Confederacy would fall…
South was still determined to fight
The war would last another two (2) years!

21. Texas Battles
Texans intended to seize Southwest and California for the Confederacy
It would give them access to gold mines and ports on Pacific Ocean
Texas soldiers captured Santa Fe and Albuquerque
They were running low on supplies
Union troops captured their supply train at Glorieta Pass
Confederate troops were forced to retreat
Union controlled Southwest for rest of war

22. Glorieta Pass

23. Battle of Galveston
Union warships set up a blockade off the Texas coast to stop trade
Union troops occupied Galveston
Texans converted two (2) steamboats into warships in early 1863
Texans forced the Union warships out of the Gulf and retook Galveston
Confederates controlled the port for the rest of the war
The defense of the Texas coast was one of the Confederacy’s greatest successes

24. Battle of Galveston

25. Battle of Sabine Pass
Union troops tried to attack the Texas coast again at the Sabine Pass (port)
Texans traded cotton for much needed weapons and medical supplies at the port
Union tried to take a fort that protected the pass in September 1863
Texans fired cannons from the fort and forced two (2) Union ships to retreat
Texans captured 300 Union soldiers
The Texas coast was needed to trade with Europe during the war

26. Battle of Sabine Pass

27. Laredo and Red River
In April 1864, Union soldiers tried to storm Laredo
They wanted to burn its store of cotton
At the Battle of Laredo, Benavides and his Tejano troops drove off the Union forces
Union tried to invade Texas again
They marched into Texas from Louisiana using the Red River
Confederates won the Battle of Mansfield but fighting at Pleasant Hill ended in a draw

28. Battle of Laredo