Unit 9: The Civil War

Advantages of the Confederacy: Food

2. The Confederacy was mostly agricultural which allowed them to produce their own food. - The North became severely crippled by the lack of food when the South seceded. -> The industrialized North relied on the South for food.

Advantages of the Confederacy: Defensive War

3. The South was fighting a defensive war on their own soil. - Therefore, they only had to stop the inion advance and not invade the North. - Additionally, there was more support for the war on the CSA home soil. -> This meant the CSA was more motivated to fight than the Union.

Advantages of the Union: Wealth

3. The Union controlled more of the nations wealth than the CSA. - The Union controlled 75% of the nations wealth ($231). -> The Union was able to finance a large army and war effort than the South.

Advantages of the Confederacy: "Cotton Diplomacy"

4. The CSA used "cotton diplomacy" to secure European allies. - The CSA asked Europe for aid by using cotton as leverage. -> Many European nations relied on CSA cotton which caused them to support the CSA.

Advantages of the Union: Industrialization

4. The Union was more industrialized than the Confederacy. - It contained 80% of the factories in the US. -> The North made the vase majority of weapons and textiles in the US. -> As a result, the North was better equipped during the war.

Advantages of the Confederacy: River Access

5. The CSA had access to the MS River and the Gulf of Mexico. - This helped with trade and bringing supplies into the Confederacy. -> However, they had to deal with the effective Northern blockade.

Advantages of the Confederacy: Military Tradition

1. The South had a stronger military tradition than the North. - As a result, they more superior generals than the North which led to early victories for the CSA. -> The CSA had proficient generals such as Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

Ways the Union Won the War

1. The Union forced the surrender of the CSA at Appomattox. - This formerly ended the war in a Union victory. 2. The Union was much more modernized than the South. - The North could manufacture weapons faster than the South and had more railroads to transport troops. -> In contrast, the South did not modernize and were more focused on agriculture instead of manufacturing. -> Eli Whitney's cotton gin started the war by entrenching slavery in the South. -> Eli Whitney's interchangeable parts ended the war by allowing the North to mass-produce weapons. 3. The Union blockade of the South stopped resources and weapons from entering the CSA. - The South could not produce their own weapons and needed to trade for them. -> However, they could not trade with foreign nations due to the effective naval blockade by the North. 4. The South over-relied on cotton diplomacy. - The south hoped that cotton trading could be used as leverage to allow the CSA to form foreign alliances. -> This strategy did not pan out as the British never recognized the CSA. 5. The Union utilized free black populations to bolster their numbers. - The Emancipation Proclamation encouraged blacks to join the army. - Over 100,000 blacks contributed to the Union effort by enrolling in the army. 6. Sherman's total war tactics demoralized the South. -Sherman took away Southern property and destroyed the South. -> This ensured the Confederacy could no longer physically fight against the Union.

Advantages of the Union: Size and Population

1. The Union was much larger than the Confederacy and was made up of more states. 2. The Union had a larger population than the South. - The Union had a total population of 22 million. -> 4 million of these were combat age men. -> This gave them more manpower in the Civil War.

Advantages of the Union: Infrastructure

5. The Union contained more existing infrastructure than the South. - While the North built thousands of miles of railroad, the South failed to modernize. -> Therefore, the North could transport supplies and soldiers at a faster rate. -> The North was able to mobilize its forces much faster than the South was.

Advantages of the Union: Establish Government

6. The Union had an established govt set up by the Constitution. - The centralized govt was better prepared for the war than the CSA. -> The CSA gave too much power to the states which made it hard to wage war. - The CSA was reminiscent of the AOC where states acted as separate entities. -> Thus, Jefferson Davis could not control the CSA states to mount a united response. - By contrast, Lincoln would use his executive power to keep the border states within the union.

Advantages of the Union: River Access

7. The Union had access to both the Ohio and MS rivers. - This allowed them to transport supplies throughout the nation faster. - Both of these rivers were located along the border states. -> By securing the border slave states, Lincoln significantly decreased the power of the CSA.

Advantages of the Union: Naval Superiority

8. The North was able to blockade the South with a superior navy. - This recued the South cotton trade and kept foreign aid from reaching the CSA. -> The CSA would rely on foreign trade for wartime supplies and wealth.

Advantages of the Union: African-American Soldiers

9. By 1863, Lincoln used his executive power to confiscate slaves in the CSA. - Meanwhile, he allows AA's to fight in the union army. -> Nearly 200,000 blacks would fight for the Union--many of them being fugitive Southern slaves.

The Battle of Antietam (1862)

After a string of victories in Maryland, Robert E. Lee meets the Union army at the town of Antietam. - Lee thought that a CSA victory would convince Britain to recognize the CSA and support them. -> This was similar to how Americans sought French aid at the Battle of Saratoga. The battle would last 12 hours and forced Lee to retreat into VA. - More than 22,000 soldiers were either killed or wounded on both sides. -> It became the bloodiest single day in American history. - Lincoln would fire McClellan after he failed to chase after Lee. -> Lincoln was outraged Gen. McClellan let Lee slip away. The Battle of Antietam would be a turning point in the war. - Firstly, it gave Lincoln the confidence to release the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. -> While only preliminary, Lincoln wanted to release it in confidence. -> It threatened to release all the slaves in the CSA by Jan 1 1863 if the South did not stop fighting. - The loss at Antietam also convinced Britain to not support the CSA. -> This would be a major blow to the CSA cause.

Lincoln's Inaugural Speech

By the time Lincoln came into office, seven Southern states had seceded. - However, Lincoln was fully committed to keeping slavery in the South. - Lincoln wanted to preserve the union above all. -> For this reason, he does not intend to interfere with slavery. - Lincoln held firm that he would hold on to all federal territory in the CSA. -> This led to mounting tensions between the North and South. -> This proclamation paved the way for the Battle of Fort Sumter.

New York City Draft Riots

During the Summer of 1863, deadly riots occurred in NYC where Irish immigrants protested the draft. - Initially, there are protests from lower-class white citizens. -> Immigrants and poor whites attacked the draft building and burned it down. - Some argued the war took on a new meaning of abolitionism which many immigrants did not support. -> This changing cause was due to the Emancipation Proclamation. -> Many poor whites feared that the end of slavery would financially hurt NYC due to the destruction of the South. -> Many lower-class whites also feared that a free country would create more job competition. -> In urban areas, there were already existing tensions between poor whites and free blacks. -> Poor whites were fearful of job competition from newly freed slaves after the war. The riots turn into a race war as free blacks are attacked by poor whites (ex. Irish immigrants). - 14 black men were lynched and hundreds were beaten. -> Immigrants were angry that AAs did not have to be drafted even though the war was about about abolition. - The rioters also attacked rich people in a class. -> These rioters were angry that the rich could pay to dodge the draft. -> Rioters viewed the war as a conflict fought for the purposes of the "rich man" by the "poor man." - Rioters murdered anyone--black or white-who intervened with the riots. In response to the riots, Lincoln sent troops from the bloody battlegrounds of Gettysburg. - After the riots, the final death toll was around 120 people.

The Emancipation Proclamation (1863)

First released in 1862, the Emancipation Proclamation freed all the slaves in the Confederacy. - However, the Proclamation did not free the slaves in Union controlled territory. -> Lincoln did not believe he had the Constitutional authority to confiscate slaves. -> Also, Lincoln did not want to potentially anger the border slave states. -> Lincoln felt he needed a Constitutional amendment to stop slavery. Lincoln justified his decision to free the CSA slaves by claiming it was a wartime measure. - Lincoln argued it was a military necessity and that it was needed to defeat the CSA. - By freeing the slaves, Lincoln also allowed AAs to enlist in the army. -> The proclamation not only freed the CSA slaves, but it encouraged black enlistment. -> This bolsted the size of the Union army which lost many due to combat and dissertion. - The Emancipation Proclamation made the war take on a new purpose of abolitionism. Note: Lincoln did not free the slaves. - Instead, the Proclamation only free the slaves in the CSA and not in the Union territory.

The Election of 1864

Following the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln had to focus on the upcoming election. - In the election, McClellan ran against Lincoln as a Democrat. -> McClellan believes the North should not continue the fight. -> McClellan appeals to Northerners who had become disillusioned with the war. - McClellan tried to slander the Republicans as the party of abolition. -> This appealed to poor whites who were not supportive of abolition. Lincoln decides to choose Andrew Johnson as his running mate. - Johnson was a Democrat who decided to not secede with his home state. -> Lincoln wanted to bring about unity between the North and South. In the election, the Democrats split into two factions. - The war Democrats do not want peace and vote for Lincoln. -> Even though they disagree with Lincoln, they want to continue the war. - The peace Democrats vote for McClellan. Lincoln wins by a landslide in the electoral college. - In the popular vote, the race is much tighter between the two candidates.

Impact of Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter would escalate the conflict between the North and South. - Lincoln would call for an additional 75,000 volunteers to join the army. -> This bolstered the strength and size of the Union army. -> Lincoln did this without the approval of Congress by exercising his executive powers. - In response to Lincoln's actions, the upper South (AR, NC, TN, and VA) all seceded. - However, the border states decide to uncommit from the CSA. -> DE, MD, WV, KY, and MO were all slave states that did not secede. -> This was important for the North sinc D.C was located on the border of VA. -> If the border states seceded, then D.C would be surrounded by CSA territory.

Sherman's March to the Sea (1864)

From Nov. to Dec. 1864, William T. Sherman marches from Atlanta to Savanah GA. - Sherman's march is seen as one of the biggest reasons the Union won the war. - Sherman utilized the idea of "total war" which destroyed all aspects of the Confederacy. -> Through total war, the Union directed its effort to damaging the South's ability to wage war. -> The Union would seize Confederate property, destroy farmland and livestock, and cut railroad ties. -> While the march caused massed destruction, the Union did not slaughter Confederate civilians. - Sherman's march broke the will of the Confederacy by destroying the Confederate property. After his March to the Sea, Sherman enacted his revenge upon SC. - He burned down Charleston SC and conquered territory in the deep South. - His actions would indirectly lead to the CSA's surrender in early 1865.

The Dilemma at Fort Sumter (1861)

In April 1861, the CSA asks the Union to evacuate the federal Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor. - Due to the CSA demands, Lincoln is left with two options: 1. Reinforce the Fort. 2. Evacuate the Fort. - The US troops in the fort were running low in supplies and would soon have to surrender. -> 20,000 additional troops were needed to reinforce the fort against CSA attack. -> SC threatened that any attempt to reinforce the fort would be seen as an act of aggression. - Lincoln does not want to be seen as an aggressor and isolate the border states to join the CSA. Lincoln decides to send non-military supplies to the fort. - SC views this as an act of aggression and attacks the fort on April 12th. -> They bombard the fort for 34 hours. - Maj. Anderson of Fort Sumter is forced to surrender the fort. -> This would mark the first battle of the Civil War.

The Gettysburg Address (1863)

In Nov 1863, Lincoln gives a short speech to commemorate the fallen at Gettysburg. - His speech was initially accepted very poorly as many thought it was too short and not powerful enough. -> Overtime, the Gettysburg Address becomes a rallying point for the Union. Lincoln's speech is very direct and straightforward. - Lincoln uses simple words to emphasize the significance of the soldier's sacrifice. - His speech was also very hopeful as he wanted to reassure Americans that the future was bright. - Lincoln does not reference the Union of the CSA. -> Instead, Lincoln views everyone who died at Gettysburg as Americans. In the Address, Lincoln views the DOI as the foundational American document. - He believes this was the point where America was founded on the ideas of liberty and equality. -> Lincoln uses the DOI to reference how America should be a land of equality. -> Lincoln argues that slavery in the US has not lived up to the ideals of the DOI. While Lincoln's first paragraph references the past, the next one speaks about the present. - Here, Lincoln commemorates the fallen at Gettysburg. -> He argues that all the fallen soldiers were Americans. - Lincoln calls the present day a tipping point in the war. -> Lincoln calls all Americans to dedicate themselves to ending the war. One main belief in the Address was the preservation of the Union. - Lincoln challenges America to come together under a new Union. - Lincoln does not want the Republican experiment to fail. Lincoln challenges the American people to continue fighting. - Lincoln argues that the best way to honor the dead is to win the war. -> Many citizens had become disillusioned with the war. - Lincoln attempted to convince all Americas that they need to be dedicated to the war effort. -> Lincoln emphasizes he does not want the fallen soldiers to have died in vain. Lincoln ends the address by saying America will have a new birth of freedom. - Lincoln does not reference slavery but suggests America needs to form a new nation. -> This speech is symbolic of a renewed dedication to the ideas of liberty and equality. -> Lincoln refers to the US as one nation, not separate states.

Cause of the Civil War: States Rights vs. Slavery

In all the events leading up to the Civil War, each event was linked to slavery. - However, many Americans still believe that the Civil War was fought over state's rights. - The MO Compromise, Compromise of 1850, and the KS-NE Act were all major events that were linked to slavery. -> However, some argue the FSA infringed on states rights. The FSA would infringe upon the states rights of the North. - Northern states such as MA were forced to handover "fugitive slaves" against their will. -> This was a major violation of states rights. - The South did not care about the federal govt violating states rights. -> The South wanted to protect slavery at all costs. The "Cornerstone Speech" was famously given by Alexander Stevens who was the VP of the CSA. - He argued the "Cornerstone" of the CSA's new govt was that AA's were not equal to whites. -> He believed all white--rich or poor--were superior to any black person. - Stevens even states that the CSA left the union ot protect slavery. In many of the succession speeches, slavery is heavily mentioned. - Places such as MS argued that the federal govt would inhibit the South economy and power by limiting slavery. -> In all of the ordinance of succession, it is clear that slavery was the driving force. -> While their were issues with states rights, they all linked back to slavery.

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865)

In his speech, Lincoln prioritizes peace and unity between the North and South. - Lincoln wants to heal the nation with the war coming to an end. -> Lincoln focuses on reconstructing the Union without spite and anger. - His speech was unpopular among many Northerners who were extremely angry at the South. -> Lincoln attempted to be lenient to the South. - Lincoln wanted the country to come together and heal as a nation. -> Lincoln never considered the CSA a nation and viewed them as American. -> At the same time, Lincom wanted to appropriately punish the South for its treason.

Lincoln's Assassination (1865)

On April 14 1865, Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth who was an actor and confederate sympathizer. - The next day, Lincoln would die while Booth would be caught twelve days later. -> Booth would die after resisting surrender to the police. Northerners were outraged at the actions of Booth. - Lincoln wanted the nation to come together and heal after the war. -> Booths actions made it hard for this too occur as many Northerners felt the South killed Lincoln. - Northerners wanted justice for Lincoln and were angry at the South. -> This made it more difficult to heal the differences of the North and South. America would lose its best leader after Lincoln was assassinated. - Lincoln was influential at bringing the country together during a time of strife. -> In his place, Andrew Johnson would fail at reconstructing the Union. -> Johnson was a Southern sympathizer who would boost tensions between the North and South.

Surrender at Appomattox (1865)

On April 9th, 1865, Gen. Lee surrender to Gen. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse VA. - Lee's army was weak and surrounded on all sides. -> Lee was cut off from reinforcements and had no means to escape. -> Lee and his troops were very demoralized as they believed the war was no longer winnable. - Grant offered Lee very generous terms of surrender which Lee accepted. -> The rebels had to agree to not take up arms against the US. -> However, Confederate soldiers were allowed to march home and no soldiers were taken prisoner. -> The average Confederate soldier was allowed to their weapon and supplies. The end of the American Civil War was very unusual for a civil war. - After the Civil War, there were no mass executions of rebels. -> This ending was by design as Lincoln wanted to heal the nation and promote unity between the North and South. -> In contrast, this ending was very spontaneous since many soldiers wanted to go home and were too tired to continue fighting.

Reasoning for the Emancipation Proclamation

Politically, the Proclamation made slavery the central issue of the war. - Up until the Proclamation, the war was about keeping the Union intact. - This discouraged Britain from aiding the South. -> Britain did not want to be complicit with the institution of slavery. - The Proclamation allowed Lincoln to assert power over the entire US. -> This would delegitimize the Confederate cause. Militarily, the Proclamation diminished the Southern workforce. - This was especially important since it urged these free slaves to join the Union army. -> This gave the North a significant advantage in the war. The Emancipation Proclamation would be a turning point by changing the purpose of the war. - The war was no longer about the union, but was about abolition.

The Battle of Gettysburg (1863)

The Battle of Gettysburg is often considered a turning point in the Civil War. - In this case, the Battle ended Lee's Second Invasion of the North. -> Lee first invaded the North in 1862, but was stopped at Antietam. -> Lee decides to invade the North twice to break the Union moral. - In 1863, Lee wants to bring the war to the Union. -> He wants to show Union citizens the carnage and destruction of war. -> Lee believes he can break the spirit of the North. From July 1st to July 3rd, over 51,000 Americans died at Gettysburg. - It is the most deadly battle in the Civil War. - The Battle of Gettysburg is disastrous for the Confederacy. -> Lee's army of Northern Virginia was destroyed in the battle. -> Lee attempts to resign after the battle due to his failure. - Now, the Confederates were on the run in the South. -> From 1863-1865, the Union will begin to successfully invade the CSA. -> The CSA never recovers from their experience at Gettysburg. A few months after the battle, cemetery is created or the fallen soldiers. - At the cemetery dedication, Lincoln would give the famed Gettysburg Address.

Southern Military Strategy

The CSA had an easier task than the North of defending their territory. - The South did not have to go on the offensive and could wear down the North. - However, the South invaded the North twice to dampen the moral of their citizens. -> They hoped that eventually the North would give up trying to unify the Nation due to a lack of support. - For this reason, the South's plan was to use an aggressive defense.

The Conscription Act of 1863

The Conscription Act enacts the first-ever draft in American history. - Drafts are enacted when volunteering for the army begins to wain. -> During the Civil War, both the Union and the Confederates lost thousands of men and were low on numbers. - Alongside the Union, the Confederacy also held their own draft. -> Both were the first conscription acts in American history. To be eligible for the draft: - The draftee had t be a male citizen or a naturalized foreigner. -> These draftees also had to be able-bodied and between the age of 20-45. Those excluded from the draft: - African-Americans were excluded from the draft since they were not citizens. -> AAs were not citizens under the Dred Scott decision (1857). -> Only citizens were allowed to be draft which excluded free blacks in the North. - Women were not eligible for the draft either. -> The law made it so that only "males" could be drafted. - Men who were not able-bodied and were outside of the age range could not be drafted. -> This was controversial as it was hard to define "able-bodied." The Conscription Act came on the heels of the Emancipation Proclamation. - The Proclamation encouraged black enlistment even though they were not eligible for the draft.

Effect of the NYC Draft Riots

The NYC draft riots highlighted the fears that poor whites had about abolition. - Poor whites were fearful of blacks stealing their jobs. -> This heightened racial tensions between the whites and blacks in the North. - The riots emphasized how support for the war waned in the North. -> Not all Northerners believed in ending slavery and preserving the Union.

The Union (Northern) Military Strategy

The North sought to institute the Anaconda Plan created by Winfield Scott. - Scott's strategy--called "Scott's Great Snake"--had three provisions: 1. The North would blockade Southern ports to pressure the Southern economy and stop the influx of goods. 2. Scott wanted to capture the MS River to divide the CSA into the West and East. 3. Scott's last provision was to raise an army with 500,000 men to capture the CSA capital of Richmond Virginia.

Impact of the Civil War

The Union is restored and the federal govt power increases greatly after the war. - Lincoln was a transformational leader who increased the power of the executive. - During the war, martial law was frequently used and income taxes were first enacted. -> The federal govt also began to print paper money called greenbacks. - Since the South seceded, Northern politicians could pass nationalistic acts. -> As a result, Congress built federal-funded railroads such as the Trans-Continental Railroad. -> Congress was also able to raise tariffs that were opposed by the South. - Congress was also able to divide the west through new legislation. -> The Homestead Act (1863) allowed Americans to live on western lands free of charge as long as they farmed it. - The Revenue Act of 1863 is passed which is the first income tax in American history. -> The Act is soon repealed following the war as Republicans support the tariff. After the war, Andrew Johnson was made President. - Johnso would be one of the worst Presidents in US history. -> Johnson was a Southern sympathizer that failed at reconstructing the nation. The 13th Amendment was passed after the war which permanently ended slavery in America. - This left unanswered civil rights questions for black Americans. -> Some wanted blacks to be viewed as citizens while others pushed against black citizenship. The North was transformed into an industrial society while the South was devastated. - The North saw large increases in manufacturing and industrial output. -> Total War and other forms of war devastated the Southern economy almost beyond repair.

The First Battle of Battle Run (1861)

This was a major battle in VA near D.C that was the first major battle of the war. - 30,000 federal troops would march from Washington but they were defeated by CSA reinforcements led by Stonewall Jackson. -> The Union would lose 387 men while the CSA lost 460. - With a Confederate victory, the hope for a quick end to the war faded. -> This required Lincoln to call for more troops.

Avoiding the Conscription Act of 1863

To legally dodge the draft: 1. Men could pay the govt a $300 fee. - $300 is equivalent to around $6000 in todays currency. - For many poor Americans, $300 was more than their annual salary. -> Men who could avoid the draft were called $300 men. -> This created many class tensions between the poor and the rich who could dodge the draft. 2. Men could hire a substitute to go in their place. - This option also usually costed money as people had to pay for substitutes. -> It was also difficult to find people who would go as a substitute. Those who tried to illegally dodge the draft could be court martialed. - For this reason, poor people had no choice but to go to war. -> This made many poor people refer to the war as the "rich man's war and a poor man's fight." - Many times, the rich could buy their way out of going to war. - Poor Irish and German immigrants would be unable to avoid the draft. -> This meant that they made up a significant portion of the Union army after the draft.

The Confederate Flag

William T. Thompson was the creator of the CSA flag and wanted it to be viewed as the "white mans flag." - He viewed the white race as superior to the African slaves. - He believed the CSA flag would be symbolic of the Confederate struggle. -> Thompson wanted the flag to represent the fight for he protection of slavery. While the same people support the CSA flag, it is a fact that the CSA flag was created to symbolize white supremacy. - The creators of the confederacy wanted to protect their right to slavery.