Civil War Unit

Compare and contrast the leadership abilities of political and military leaders on both sides of the Civil War.

The south had better military leadership. Grant and Robert E Lee were big leaders during the civil war. The south had Lee and he was a very cunning, quick moving strategist and knew how to create a good plan to success even with his low numbers. In Battle of Gettysburg he became more aggressive. Grant had the strategy to use attrition to win Gettysburg which was a huge shift in the war. Led supporters in the North to higher hopes. North wanted to just outlast the south, didn't really care about how many people he lost. He was appointed by grant. North had Abe Lincoln who created the emancipation proclamation which shifted war and brought in foreign powers and Britain (who already abolished slavery favored this). Lincoln really helped shift the focus of war which inevitably led them to win war.

popular sovereignty

The states got to decide whether or not they were a slave state. Southern states took their slaves to Utah and New Mexico territory.

Anaconda Srategy

The strategy was to blockade the coast of the confederacy, seize Mississippi Valley to surround most of the Confederacy, and to capture Richmond (the capital).

Examine the results of the 1860 election and infer why it was so unusual.

There were 4 candidates in this election. The Republican Party (North): Abraham Lincoln; almost no support from the south, since he wasn't even on the ballot there. Democratic Party (North): Stephen Douglas; Democratic party split because wanted to defend the institution of the south but prevent the spread of slavery out west. Democratic Party (South): John Breckinridge; split because wanted federal protection of slavery in territories and states. Union Party (South came from whigs): John Bell; promoting the constitution and federal power, union of states, power of law, "Preserve the union". Lincoln got the electoral vote and popular vote but he wasn't on the ballot in many states. Douglas was runner up in popular vote but last in electoral vote. It is this election that prompted many states to say we cannot continue this United States and South Carolina was the first state to want to succeed

Explain the reasons why injury and death rates were so high during the Civil War.

- for the Union: Grant was using attrition, didn't care about lost soldiers (held out until you ran out of resources, including people) --- and lack of medicine and new weapon technology?

Explain the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments.

13th amendment abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude. The 14th amendment says that under this law "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside". The 15th amendment says that no state can deny someone the right to vote based on race or ethnicity.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln: He was an excellent writer and speaker. But one of his flaws was he was reluctant to delegate however appointed rivals to key positions which was good because you don't want to have a situation where everyone agrees with you and is terrified of you. Sometimes you need to be told you're wrong so that you can rethink. He was willing to adjust policy to fit circumstances. He had an appropriate temperament and was adverse to quarreling (slight flaw; sometimes you will disagree with people).

Assess whether Andrew Johnson deserved impeachment.

Andrew Johnson warred with Congress over who had the power to bring confederate states back into the Union during reconstruction. Congress passed a law the Tenure of Office Act which required the president to seek permission from the Senate to remove any federal official who appointment the Senate had confirmed. Johnson fired his Secretary of War and congress said he broke the law. Johnson said the law was unconstitutional. I don't that he should not have been impeached because it could be seen as an encroachment of congressional power over the executive branch. However Johnson was definitely a horrible president: he hurt the black people during reconstruction and lost support of republicans.

Explain the Anaconda Strategy.

Blockade of the coast of the confederacy. Union wanted to seize Mississippi Valley to surround most of the Confederacy. Goal was to capture Richmond (the capital).

Describe the principal components of the "Compromise" of 1850.

California is admitted as a free state. New Mexico and Utah have "popular sovereignty". Texas also becomes smaller than before. DC abolishes slave trade (cannot sell slaves in DC). Other nations were against slavery but some enforce a tougher Fugitive Slave law.

Charles Sumner

Charles Sumner gave a famous speech in 1856. He was an abolitionist, senator from Massachusetts. Gave a day long speech that talks about slavery, and trashes other senators. Preston Brooks (congressman from SC) was furious about the speech and started hitting Sumner with a cane. Sumner was hospitalized for three years. Country was extremely divided over policies, polar opposite sides.

Evaluate the Black Codes imposed during the Reconstruction period.

Designed to curtail free African-American labor. It was just "slavery by another name." Local officials would apprehend unemployed African-Americans, fine them for vagrancy (loitering), and hire them to private employers to work off the fines and they wouldn't be paid. A way around the 13th amendment.

Evaluate the arguments of the US Supreme Court in Dred Scott v. Sandford and explain how this further divided the United States.

Dred Scott v. Sanford highlighted the argument that the constitution was not meant to extend to the enslaved. The decision was made in the case of Dred Scott, an enslaved black man whose owners had taken him from Missouri, which was a slave-holding state, into the Missouri Territory, most of which had been designated "free" territory by the Missouri Compromise of 1820. When his owners later brought him back to Missouri, Scott sued in court for his freedom, claiming that because he had been taken into "free" U.S. territory, he had automatically been freed, and was legally no longer a slave. He then sued in U.S. federal court, which ruled against him by deciding that it had to apply Missouri law to the case. He then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In March 1857, the Supreme Court issued a 7-2 decision against Dred Scott. By this ruling, it was determined that the gov't believed black people were not meant to be included in the Constitution and they can't claim any of the rights given to U.S. citizens.

Dred Scott v. Sandord

Dred Scott was a slave that sued for his freedom because he travelled to a free state with his owner. Supreme Court said that he did not have a case because the property is protected by the Constitution wherever you are in the country; Human beings were treated as property. Considered the worst decision of the Supreme Court because with this ruling mo territory could prohibit slavery.

Describe the ways that the lives of the formerly enslaved improved and not improved during Reconstruction (1865-1877).

During the first part of reconstruction they were allowed to vote and be in the state legislature and congress but only up until 1877 (Compromise of 1877: Republican elected as president). They got no land though. Compromise of 1877 said African Americans no longer have rights in courts and are unable to serve in office, find themselves again as 3rd class citizens.

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter was one of the forts to guard the harbor along with Fort Johnson and Fort Moultrie. The forts were established before south carolina succeeded. Fort Sumter remains a symbol of the Union's power over the Confederacy. Confederates can't force the union out so Lincoln sends food and blankets and things to Fort Sumter to keep soldiers there alive. Confederates fired canons at the official ship the union was using to bring over supplies. Confederacy wanted Union to surrender. Fort Sumter surrendered bc of lack of food and confederates firing at Fort Sumter (April 1861).

Explain the important roles of African-Americans, free and enslaved, in the Civil War.

Government pushed black men into battle. Some slaves would move to fight for the North because they realized they didn't want to fight for slavery. They were rarely promoted, paid less than white soldiers (paid $3 less).

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. It was the first book that really clearly explained the oppressiveness of slavery. It explains the story of how a family is separated by selling the child and husband (slaves).

Explain the reasons for, and components of, the "Compromise of 1877".

In 1876, Hayes (Rep.) and Tilden (Dem.)were chosen for the presidential election. 3 states had electoral votes that were disputed; 2 letters (one Republican and one Democrat) from Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina; Electoral 50-50% (Rep: 185 Dem: 184). They put together a committee to vote for democrat vs. republican in these three states (7 democrats, 7 republicans, 1 independent (who was really a republican)) and it was 8-7 overall to republicans. Republicans got their president and Democrats ended military occupation in the South and ended the process of reconstruction (this was the compromise). Reconstruction is over: military courts end, military protection of African Americans end (14th and 15th amendment were ignored). African Americans no longer have rights in courts and are unable to serve in office, find themselves again as 3rd class citizens

Wilmot Proviso

Introduced in House of Representatives by Pennsylvania Congressman David Wilmot. Southerners were furious because the resolutions said that lands acquired from Mexico "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory." They were approved by House; rejected by Senate and it sparked debate about slavery in America.

Explain how the caning of Charles Sumner fits into the context of American politics at the time.

It represents how divided the political parties were at this time. Charles Sumner gave a famous speech (1856). He was an Abolitionist, senator from Massachusetts. Gave a day long speech about slavery, trashes other senators. Preston Brooks (congressman from SC), was furious about the speech and started hitting Sumner with a cane. Sumner has hospitalized for three years, hit with the cane over 30 times. This showed how the country was extremely divided over policies, polar opposite sides.

Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Davis was deeply committed to the cause. He was humorless and indecisive. However also stubborn when he made up his mind because he didn't want to shift his position. He had a waspish temper but this may have arisen from a mental condition. He had poor cabinet appointments and poor secretary of war and secretary of state.

John Brown

John Brown an abolitionist, tried to start a slave revolt in Southern states.

Explain the circumstances of Lincoln's assassination.

John Wilkes Booth (a radical confederate) believed that Lincoln was the cause of all the nations troubles and God had directed him to kill Lincoln. He went into the theater box and shot Lincoln in 1865.

Ulysses S. Grant

Johnson suspended Secretary of War Stanton, an ally of Congress, and replacing him with General U.S. Ulysses S. Grant. But senate refused to confirm him. Military general of the Union during civil war. He was also president from 1869 to 1877.

Conscription

July 1861: First federal draft call (ages 18-25). Union favored wealthy, could pay 300$ or hire substitute instead. There was also bounty jumping (sign up and get money, sign up in another district). Confederacy didn't really have a draft because they didn't have many people to fight.

Based on the experiences of women described in your text, assess the progress made in life for women during the war.

North: citizens formed sanitary and christian commission, reduced diseases. Hundreds of thousands of women did the actual work: sewing, knitting, baking, organizing rallies. South: no sanitary commission (poor), every house was a hospital. Southern women worked as nurses in private hospitals (paved the way of the actual field of nursing).

Explain why the Border States did not secede.

Keeping control of the border states played an important role in the victory for theUnion. These states gave the Union the advantage in troops, factories, and money. Not everyone in the border states supported the Union. Each of the states had their own reasons to remain loyal to the Union instead of joining the confederacy, but there is a similarity between them. They had become less reliant on slaves over time because the crops that they grew didn't require the massive work force that had become necessary on the big cotton plantations of the Deep South. Also, large portions of most of the border states were mountainous, and had no need for large plantations with big slave populations. Slavery was the root cause of secession and the war, and plain and simple, slavery in the border states wasn't as important economically by that time as it was further south.

Gettysburg Address

Lincoln gave this address while the civil war was still happening in 1863 at a ceremony at a cemetery for soldiers that had passed. Lincoln was trying to say that our nation was founded on the ideal of liberty and that ALL men are created equal. He also wanted equal representation and most obviously the victory and preservation of the union which included a government of the people, by the people, for the people". Some of the themes of human equality and equality to all citizens is still relevant today.

Describe the most important messages of Lincoln's Gettysburg address and infer its relevance to today.

Lincoln was trying to say that our nation was founded on the ideal of liberty and that ALL men are created equal. He also wanted equal representation and most obviously the victory and preservation of the union which included a government of the people, by the people, for the people". Some of the themes of human equality and equality to all citizens is still relevant today.

Describe the important messages in both Lincoln's First Inaugural and Lincoln's Second Inaugural addresses. Compare their tone and content. 1) Supports fugitive slave law 2) Not trying to disrupt slavery...

Lincoln's first inaugural address said, he wouldn't touch slavery, he would never be the first to fire, only rebel and wouldn't initiate a war unless you attack us (america). Going to protect fugitive slave law and not interfere with state laws. In the second inaugural address he addresses that the South tries to convey in history that the Civil War was not about slavery when it fact it most definitely was. The cost, pain and suffering of slavery still exists in the present day. Lincoln's view at the end of the war was that the war is over, let's move on, not punish, not seek revenge, let's heal and come back together. After you win a war, you must create a post war plan and Lincoln wanted a peaceful coexistence

Compare and contrast the Reconstruction plans of Lincoln, Johnson, and Congress.

Lincoln's plan was to bring states back into the union. He wanted to forgive for all white Southerners except high civil and military officials, loyalty oath required (many lied). When 10% of 1860 voters in a state took the oath, those loyal votes would set up state governments. Some African Americans who owned property could vote. Congress wanted to punish the South for the sin of rebellion. They didn't want to recognize the reconstructed states: Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas. Wanted punishment for civil and military rebel leaders, disenfranchisement of large numbers of Southern white voters. Also wanted protection for legal and voting rights of African-Americans and to confiscate and redistribute the property of slave owners to the African-Americans. The Freedmen's Bureau: Radical for this time bc federal gov't was not involved in charity for the poor. Accepted the 13th (abolishes slavery and forced servitude) and 14th amendment (under the law, whatever rights you give to citizens applies to all). Johnson said the convention will disavow secession, abolish slavery, reject CSA debt and ratify 13th amendment.

Evaluate British and French behavior toward the United States and Confederate States during the Civil War.

Neither recognized the confederacy. South put an embargo together to get the British and French to recognize them; they didn't fall for it. Both just hung in until the end of war. If British and French had recognized the confederacy, they probably would have survived.

Describe and evaluate the principal advantages of the North and South in fighting the Civil War.

North: Greater manufacturing ability: Clothes, iron, steel, rails, guns, artillery. Had a greater population (23 million in the states of the union and only 9 million confederates) and because of this the numbers of soldiers was an important consideration for winning a war. Better International relations and transportation. High morale for different reasons. South: Fighting on home territory (fight more earnestly, for home than for idea, knowledge of land (escape routes...), defense). Had a higher morale. Good production of cotton. Thought the British and French would come begging but they didn't because they didn't recognize confederacy. They had better military leadership and a tradition of military training.

Explain how the Civil War transformed both the North and South economically.

North: transformed dramatically during war bc war wasn't fought their land. Extreme Growth in their economy; factories grew, trains were built. South: was devastated by war. System of enslaved labor was crushed and during reconstruction they continued to suffer. Even before the civil war they were largely agricultural not industrial and this didn't really change until 20th century. 1880s and 90s South is moving very slowly economically compared to North.

Explain the important lessons of the First Battle of Bull Run final epic battle of the Civil War (July 1861)

One of the first major battles. A battle of untrained soldiers, militias in confusing uniform. Being able to fight in an army requires LOTS of practice as we know now because this can save your life. At the time, military only got together a few hours a month and then just socialized; weren't practiced. Confederates won battle but both sides recognized they needed to train their armies, they needed a uniform and they would be in the war for a long time

Describe the circumstances of Fort Sumter and describe how the fall of Fort Sumter had such a powerful effect on public opinion.

One of the forts to guard the harbor along with Fort Johnson and Fort Moultrie. The forts were established before south carolina succeeded. Fort Sumter remains and is a symbol of the Union's power over the Confederacy. It was a little island and the Confederates can't force the union out. Fort Sumter surrendered and four more states joined confederacy (Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas). The confederate capital moves to Richmond. It is a huge city and industrial market and seen as the source of the US: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison were from Virginia. Both sides gather troops and hope for one battle to resolve the issue which leads to the Battle of Bull Run in 1861.

Explain why the Battle of Antietam was so significant.

Over 23,000 men fell as casualties in the one-day Battle of Antietam, making it the bloodiest day in American history. The Union victory at Antietam resulted in President Abraham Lincoln issuing his Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in 1862.

Explain key features of the Emancipation Proclamation and its context.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." Emancipation proclamation is not an absolutely freeing of the enslaved. Emancipation Proclamation fueled an international fire for abolishing slavery, had a profound global impact. The Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in states that were in rebellion, not border Union states where slavery was still legal, making it a military strategy without much effect because the slaves in Confederate territory would not be free until the Union won. However, the proclamation gave the Union something to fight for and eventually freed all slaves when the war was over.

Preston Brooks

Preston Brooks was the US Congressman from South Carolina. Hit Charles Sumner with a cane because of disagreement on his speech.

Explain the principle of "popular sovereignty".

Principle of popular sovereignty is the principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives (Rule by the People). In 1850 it was the political doctrine that the people who live in a region should determine for themselves the nature of their gov't. By the people for the people. The flow of political authority is from people to government. - allows you to decide if you're a free or slave state (ignores Missouri compromise) -- in terriroties (Utahn New Mexico)

Robert E. Lee

Robert E. Lee was the commander and general for the confederacy during the civil war. Many believed he was overconfident.

Assess the impact of John Brown's raid on public opinion.

Single most important factor of bringing on the war. 1859, John Brown (northerner, abolitionist) led slaves and others into Virginia. The goal was to destroy slaveryIn Kansas, he and his sons hacked 5 pro-slavery people to death with swords. He was hung for his crime and John Wilkes Booth was at the hanging. He wanted to destroy the institution of slavery. Brown's raid made the debate more heated. Southerners were shocked and angered at northern support of Brown. The South was happy, but the North was angry because the ruling meant slavery could spread west.

Evaluate the South's rationalization of its economic system.

South believed they treated their enslaved better than the northern factory owners treated wage laborers but overlooked one fact. The slave laborer had no choice: they couldn't say the didn't want to work there anymore while a wage laborer could. Southern economy was chugging along very slowly while North was growing rapidly with correction of panics.

Explain how conscription (the draft) worked in both the North and South.

South needed a draft because they had less people to draft. In July the North had the first federal draft call (18-25?). They favored wealthy, could pay 300$ or hire substitute instead. NYC contemplated the draft because and wanted to recession.

Explain how the Kansas-Nebraska Act encouraged violence in Kansas.

South was scared of North getting rid of slavery and the North was scared of South moving slavery to the west. Passed in May 1854. It allowed each territory to decide the issue of slavery on the basis of popular sovereignty. Kansas with slavery would violate the Missouri Compromise, which had kept the Union from falling apart for the last thirty-four years.

Stephen Douglas

Stephen Douglas (democrat) was a sponsor of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and wanted to be president. He ran in 1860 and was runner up in popular vote but last in electoral vote. Douglas was seen as not strong enough in protecting the enslaved labor and so the South didn't like him.

Explain the reasons for William T. Sherman's strategy in late 1864 and early 1865.

Summer 1864 there were no armies for William Sherman to fight because the Confederacy ran out of armies. Sherman carried out a path of destruction to the sea and marched from Atlanta to Savannah. Soldiers walked through towns and took any food or belongings they wanted. They were told to only respond with force if they bring force upon you. Arrived in Savannah around December. The next year they proceeded the destruction into South and North Carolina.

Connect the principal events of the California Gold Rush with the circumstances leading to the 1850 "Compromise".

The California Gold Rush brought a ton of expansion into the West and it created more controversy between the slave and free states which led to the Compromise of 1850. Miners came in 1849 from San Francisco, east coast, China, Hawaii, and South America. California was admitted as a free state.

Describe the platform of the Free Soil Coalition.

The Free Soil Coalition was organized by anti-slavery men in the north, democrats who were resentful at Polk's actions, and some conscience Whigs. The Free Soil Party was against slavery in the new territories. They also advocated federal aid for internal improvements and urged free government homesteads for settlers

Kansas-Nebraska Act

The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by the U.S. Congress on May 30, 1854. It allowed people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders. In a way it reversed the Missouri compromise. Popular sovereignty applied with this. Stephen Douglas was sponsor. It led to a civil war in Kansas, pro and anti slavery settlements would fight each other, shooting, stabbing, beating, etc. Charles Sumner gave a famous speech on it in 1856.

Describe how the Underground Railroad worked.

The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early to mid-19 century, and used by enslaved African-Americans to escape into free states and Canada. The scheme was assisted by abolitionists and others sympathetic to the cause of the escapees.

Explain why the Wilmot Proviso was so controversial.

The Wilmot Proviso was designed to eliminate slavery within the land acquired as a result of the Mexican War (1846-48). David Wilmot proposed his bill and it did not pass but this sparked extreme controversy with Southern-dominated Senate and the formation of the Republican Party and the start of the Civil War.

Evaluate the Fugitive Slave Law.

The earlier Fugitive Slave Law of 1793 required the return of runaway slaves. It sought to force the authorities in free states to return fugitive slaves to their masters (It was part of the compromise of 1850 between Southern slave-holding interests and Northern Free-Soilers)

Explain the reasons why eleven states seceded from the United States.

The eleven states could not accept the election of Abe Lincoln. Lincoln was opposed to slavery morally, but politically, he knew that there was little support for total abolishment, even in the north. Because of this, he did not originally plan for it. Lincoln was seen as an extremist. The southerners thought he was a threat to slavery. Lincoln believed in free soil (slavery is allowed to exist where it is already but it can't spread). So many southern states seceded because they thought this would lead to the abolishment of slavery.

Analyze the impact of Uncle Tom's Cabin on public opinion.

Uncle Tom's Cabin ncreased the differences between the North and the South. Many Northerners realized how unjust slavery was for the first time. With increasing opposition to slavery, Southern slave owners worked even harder to defend the institution.

Explain why the battles of Vicksburg and Gettysburg were so important.

battle of Vicksburg was the last hold out of the Confederacy in the Mississippi valley. The confederacy controlled the river and would blow up union ships. Ulysses S Grant surrounded Vicksburg and held a siege. Union surrounded Vicksburg for several months, Vicksburg surrendered on July 4. New Orleans to St Louis became union controlled. battle of Gettysburg was major turning point in the civil war. Robert E. Lee had too much confidence. Took place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, first day of battle was July 1st (four day war). George Pickett's charge (one of the commanders for the pig war) on the 3rd on a hill. Led a charge with about 1500 troops up a hill, bombarding them. 15,000 soldiers marched out of the woods quietly and massacred the confederacy. The union was on top, confederacy on bottom. 30,000 dead