APUSH Civil War 1861-1865

Antietam

(AL), 1862, the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with almost 23,000 casualties. Even though he had Lee's battle plans, McClellan hesitated to attack in this Maryland battle, leading to an unconvincing Union victory. The win was important, however, as it stopped the Confederate invasion of the North and gave Lincoln the victory he was waiting for to act on slavery

Fort Sumter

A fort located in Charleston, South Carolina that was the location of the first battle in the Civil War on April 12, 1861. It was held by federal troops but claimed by South Carolina, which had seceded. Lincoln ordered that supplies be brought to the fort but the Confederates fired, capturing the fort.

Copperheads

A group of Northern Democrats who opposed the Civil War and wanted immediate peace negotiations with the Confederacy. The most famous was Congressman Clement L. Vallandigham of Ohio who was briefly banished to Canada for his speeches against the war.

Emancipation Proclamation

Abraham Lincoln used his power as commander in chief of the armed forces to free the slaves in the Confederacy, and it went into effect January 1, 1863. It did not immediately free all slaves, but it enlarged the purpose of the war to be about slavery. The committed the government to a policy of abolition. It also gave the Union many more soldiers and new rallying point.

Ex Parte Milligan (1866)

Supreme Court decided that the suspension of habeas corpus was unconstitutional because civilian courts were still operating, and the Constitution of the United States (according to the Court) only provided for suspension of habeas corpus if these courts are actually forced closed. In essence, the court ruled that military tribunals could not try civilians in areas where civil courts were open, even during wartime.

election of 1864

The Democrats nominated General George McClellan and used the platform of peace appeal to the many people weary of the war. The Republicans changed their name to be the Unionist Party to attract War Democrats and nominated Lincoln with Andrew Johnson, a War Democrat from Tennessee. Lincoln-Johnson easily won the electoral votes, but the popular vote was much closer.

Confiscation acts

The First Confiscation Act was passed in August 1861. It said that slaves were "contrabands of war" and thus the Union did not have to return them to their plantation owners. In July 1862, the Second Confiscation Act was passed freeing slaves of persons engaged in rebellion against the U.S and empowered the president to use freed slaves in the Union Army.

Confederate States of America

The confederation of the eleven southern states that seceded between 1860-1861 and was active from 1861-1865. South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas were the first to secede. After Fort Sumter, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina also seceded. Jefferson Davis was elected president.

border states

The four slave-holding states of Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, and Kentucky who did not leave the Union during the Civil War. They stayed mainly because (a) martial law (b) presence of U.S troops (c) declaration of neutrality. Lincoln needed the border states because they would increase the Confederate population and weaken the North's strategic plans. Lincoln did not want early emancipation that would anger them.

habeas corpus

The right not to be held in prison without first being charged with a specific crime; during the Civil War Abraham Lincoln suspended this

Gettysburg

Took place on July 1, 1863 and commonly considered the turning point of the Civil War. Lee took the offensive in Pennsylvania, but Union forces held. It was the bloodiest battle with over 50,000 casualties and Lee's forces never could regain the offensive.

Anaconda Plan

Winfield Scott's three-part plan to defeat the Confederates: 1) Use of the U.S navy to blockade the Southern ports and thus cut them off from essential supplies 2)Taking control of the Mississippi River to divide the Confederacy into two 3) Take Richmond with an army of 500,000 men