What You Need to Know

about the American Civil War

for STAAR

L. Petersen

Dates:

1861 - 1865

Names for the Union

YankeesUnited States of America

BluesFederalsThe North

Names for the Confederacy

ConfederacyConfederate States of America

GraysRebelsThe South

Presidents

US – Abraham LincolnCapital – Washington, DC

Confederacy – Jefferson DavisCapital – 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. GrantConfederacy – Robert E. Lee

Northern Strategy - Anaconda Plan –

seize railroads & Mississippi River to split Confederacy, cut off supplies

blockade portscapture 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 aimsAfter 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 AddressRead the text at

http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm

Abraham Lincoln’s Speeches

2nd Inaugural Address -encouraged everyone to think of the Union, wanted to bring the country back together peacefully

2nd Inaugural Address

Read the text at http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres32.html

http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres32.html

Important Events & Battles: Ft. Sumter - First battleAntietam - 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 SouthLincoln had wanted peacePeople 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 slaves14 – 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

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