Unit 4 Study Guide- Essential Questions
Why did the Union look like they had the clear advantage on paper at the beginning of the Civil War? How did the South, though, have the easier task of the war?
The Union looked like they had a clear advantage over the Confederacy because they had the most massive population size, the most states on their side, and they had the advantage of the economy. Even so, the South had a much easier task because they simply had to fight defensively to maintain the land they seceded with. The Union had to do the opposite by fighting to get the land from the South back.
What caused proslavery ideologies to develop? In other words, why did arguments in favor of shift from it being a "necessary evil" to a "positive good"? Why was the "necessary evil" argument no longer acceptable?
As slave labor became more entrenched in the southern economy, southerners became afraid that the abolitionist movement would completely engulf public opinion. In 1832, at the Virginia General Assembly, Thomas R. Dew attempted to persuade the public that slavery was good. He uses the bible to support his claim, but his argument was inherently weak. Slavery could not longer be deemed a "necessary evil", as slave owners now needed a valid argument to justofy their actions. With the rise of the capitalist movement, the agricultural economy of the south was threatened.
What happened at Appomattox Courthouse?
At Appomattox, Lee finally surrendered his heavily outnumbered army to the union. Although he could not surrender the entire Confederate army, he could his own, and many other troops followed in the wake of his actions. This meeting, held between Confederate general Robert E. Lee and Union general Ulysses S. Grant, was a somber scene. Both men felt a shared sense of reverence for the occasion.
Why did the Supreme Court rule against Dred Scott in the case of Dred Scott v. Sanford?
Because they argued that because he was black, he did not have the legal standing to sue for his freedom and even if he did, they also said that the framers of the Constitution did not intend for black people to be included in the "all men" language in the declaration -> used 5th amendment to justify their decision: he was a slave, slaves were property, could not strip another man of his property
How are battles fought in the early years of the war? How does the chaotic scene at the First Battle of Bull Run demonstrate this?
Besides the fact that war was considered a man's sport, so people didn't really take the violence seriously, on a more tactical level the Union was severely lacking. The First Battle of Bull Run (or as the Confederates called it, Manassas) sets an important precedent for the strategy of the Union Army. In this battle, the Union had 17,000 more men than the Confederacy, and the Union almost won because of their large numbers, but the Confederacy had planned ahead and sent in reinforcements. These reinforcements absolutely proved to the Union that they needed real plans to win not only this battle, but also the ones in the future. Because of this, the Anaconda Plan is introduced. This plan is well thought out, but it unfortunately fails because the Union has a lack of urgency. This theme of no urgency within the Union tactic continues for battles on and on in the future.
Why did Calhoun appeal to the 5 th Amendment when David Wilmot proposed banning slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico as result of war?
Calhoun used the fifth amendment to argue that no person should be deprived of "property" without due process of law. Since slaves were considered property at this time, the act would be declared unconstitutional.
Where did the Republican Party come from? What was a major component of their platform? Were they an abolitionist part? Why or why not?
Came as a result of the whig party falling apart after the K-N act A major component of their platform was that they merely wanted to prevent slavery from spreadint into territories where it did not exist, not to abolish it in places where it did This means they were not an abolitionist party because abolishionists were against the idea of slavery as a whole and wanted it to be abloished where it already was also
How did Congress try to reconcile the Union following Lincoln's election, but prior to Ft. Sumter?
Congress makes two attempts to save the union union: the Crittenden Compromise and the Corwin Amendment. The Crittenden Compromise would protect slavery where it existed and allow it to spread further west. The Corwin amendment would have been the 13th amendment to the Constitution, explicitly protecting slavery where it existed in the United States. The Corwin amendment passed in congress (Lincoln supported it) but in order to be put into effect, all the states had to ratify it. Since war had already broken out they did not go through with the ratification process.
How important to the U.S. and world economies was cotton? Why was the planter class so confident that cotton was king even though it put the South into a position of conflict with American ideals?
Cotton was extremely important to the world's economy ("king cotton") so much so that it was hard to not imagine it as being "king." The raw material for textiles (north and Europe needed Southern cotton) . ⅔ of all U.S. exports were cotton. The increased production of cotton leads to the increased need for labor and an increased need for land. Slavery is a cheap, inexpensive labor for the plantations. Cotton and tobacco can only be grown in one place for 2-5 years before damaging the soil so much as to make it less fertile→ need for more land which the south provides. Therefore, the South was so confident that the cotton economy would endure because of the entire world's need for cotton.
Why was Lincoln's likely victory problematic for the South?
His victory was problematic because all of his votes came from non slave states, so technically the slave states did not vote for him.
How did the Mexican American War begin? What was the result of the war?
In December 1845, the United States annexed Texas, entering it as the 28th state of the Union. There was significant resistance from the Mexican government regarding the nuances of the annexation, as they claimed that they had actually annexed the state. President Polk sent general Zachary Taylor south to Texas to secure the state and challenge Mexican resistance in the land around the Rio Grande. Taylor kept pushing his troops further south, and fighting soon broke out. War was officially declared on May 13, 1846. This was a highly successful war for the American cause, ending with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in which Mexico dropped claims to Texas above the Rio Grande and ceded Utah, California, and New Mexico to the states.
What were the requirements for successful mass production of this cash crop?
In order to mass produce cotton, lots of manual labor was required. In addition, fertile land was also essential. Land only remained good for 4 to 5 years, so farmers often had to move in order to continue producing their crop. Furthermore, lots of rain and good weather was needed.
What is Lincoln's message in the "Second Inaugural"? How does he emphasize unity?
In the "Second Inaugural", Lincoln focuses on removing blame from the opposing sides of the war (the Union and the Confederacy). He does this by 1. Mentioning the fact that neither side intended the war to last so long, nor did they intend it to be so devastating, 2. Pushing the accountability onto God and his will (God must want the two sides to continue to fight in order to properly heal and remove any remaining conflict left within the country), and 3. Highlighting the fact that he, himself, has no existing malice for either side of the war. As president, he emphasizes unity by defending the unknowingness for the future of the conflict that existed when the war began.
What did society look like in the South? What were the various layers?
In the South society has 4 layers. The first is the planters who are a large group of plantation owners (4% of population). 10,000 owned half of the slave population and 2300 owned 100+ slaves. The second is the middle class farmers, who owned under 20 slaves. Then the Yeoman farmers and poor whites came third, who were the subsistence farmers without slaves (poor whites with no land, no slaves; day laborers for planters)--> this made up 75% of the population by 1860. Then lastly, the slaves, who were the "mud sill" of society and the foundation of the socio-economic system.
What was life like for those living on plantations?
In the old south, slaves were not allowed to learn how to read and write, an essential component of intellectual freedom. They could not testify in court, get married, or own firearms, for fear that they could incite rebellion. There were formal slave codes in each state which would regulate the treatment of enslaved persons. Thus, it is so hard to tell the stories of enslaved southerners because there were not many accounts of plantation life, since they did not have the privilege of reading and writing.
What is the redefined, deeper meaning of the war enunciated in the Gettysburg Address? Why is this war being fought and what is at stake if the Union fails?
Introduces how liberty was the idea that was there at its conception. This war is a test of the endurance of the union(testing democracy and republicanism). Lincoln uses the term "consecrated" → the men will die so that the union may live → new birth
Why is it difficult to tell the story of enslaved back southerners?
It is difficult to tell the story because it was from the white man's perspective and was not an accurate representation of what slaves actually went through because slavery was not being experienced first hand by these men.
How does the way war is waged take on a new form in the last year of the war?
It used to be a Gentlemen's game type of warfare( they lines up for battle and marched toward each other) it moved into a total warfare that was much more vicious and bloody like the "total warfare"
How was the election of 1860 a sectional contest?
James Buchanan was elected in 1856 and because of this the democrats controlled all branches of government; In the 1858 midterm elections for senate, between Lincoln and Douglass, DOuglass won but the Republican party had a majority in the house and nearly in the Senate. The Democratic party was losing its appeal. In 1859 tensions heightened, on Oct 1859 John Brown had a raid at Harper's Ferry which essential y showed that the question of slavery could not be solved peacefully. Basically, this election was more about the morality of the nation than the individual election.
Who was John Brown? What did he do and why does he feel justified in doing so?
John Brown raided Harpers ferry 3 days after the sack of Lawrence and dragged 5 people from their homes and killed them. At this point territorial civil war had broken out. Wanted to give weapons to slaves for a slave revolt
Why did Texas revolt against the Mexican government? What happened as a result?
Leading up to 1835, there was heavy American settlement in Texas. They outnumbered the Mexican people, threatening their way of life. The Mexicans wanted to convert Americans to catholicism and they outlawed slavery. Steven F. Austin brought more and more Americans to Texas, spreading slavery even farther west. Santa Anna, the Mexican general, dissolved the Mexican constitution and abolished the legislatures, granting him unlimited power. His actions were threatening to the Texans, and, after Asutin was arrested, fighting broke out. Sam Housten leads the American Troops. The United States won and Texas is annexed (operating as its own country).
How did Lincoln view his role as president? What was he (and all presidents) confined to? What did he feel he could and cannot do?
Lincoln knows that he is not an almighty king. Lincoln would rather the people make amendments than himself. Lincoln's job is to execute the laws and protect the government and then hand it off to his successor untampered with. LIncoln wishes that they all would be friends as they all have shared principles and are confined to "the mystic chords of memory"
How did Lincoln reject the legality of secession in the "First Inaugural Address"?
Lincoln rejected the legality of secession in the "First Inaugural Address" by saying that the "central idea of secession is the essence of anarchy"(393). He states that succession can either be classified as insurrection or revolutionary, but either way it serves as a way to reform governmental institutions and law, rather than it actually being about the separation. Not only does he touch on his opinion on what succession actually is, he also states that the illogicality behind it. The United States cannot actually separate because the states are bound together. Once connected, the population cannot go against each other pretending the other side to be aliens.
Why did Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation when he did? Why did he not try to abolish slavery prior to the war? How was he legally justified in doing so during war?
Lincoln waited until the union had somewhat of a victory in the Civil War (Battle of Antietam/Sharpsburg) because he wanted it to come from a place of power and strength as opposed to it seeming like the final outcry for emancipation during a time of loss for the union He was legally justified in doing this becaus it was considered a war measure, meaning that he did it so that he coult in essence take away the reason for the fighting, slavery
Why was Lincoln opposed to the Crittenden Compromise, but was willing to support the Corwin Amendment?
Lincoln was opposed to the Crittenden Compromise because it would have protected slavery where is existed and allowed it to spread westward, hence why it did not pass through the Republican Sneate because republicans did not want slavery to spread Lincoln agreed with the Corwin Amendament because it explicitly protected slavery ONLY where it already existed and prohibited the government from ablishing it...Lincoln did support this but only out of desperation but it did not pass either because the war broke out
Why wasn't McClellan a successful general?
McClellan was ill-successful as a general because he wasn't aggressive enough. On numerous occasions, the Union army suffered because he refused to take opportunity, and instead chose to hold back. We can really see this during McClellan's Peninsula Campaign, where the Union army sailed down the Potomac River to surprise the Confederacy at Richmond. McClellan's plan initially works, but he hesitates and misses the opportunity (had he not hesitated, the Union army most likely could have walked through the Confederates). We can see McClellan's tendency to hesitate again at the Battle of Antietam, when the Union army actually found the Confederate plans but McClellan ignored it and chose to do moves which were poorly planned and lasted 14 hours.
What was life like for "free persons of color"?
Oftentimes, free persons of color were freed by their owners or purchased their freedom. They could make contracts, own property, and get married. However, free persons of color were often captured and sold back into slavery (reference story of Solomon Northop). Furthermore, they could not vote or own weapons. While they were free physically, they had not achieved true freedom within society.
Why did Lincoln argue that the Dred Scott decision should not be considered as having set a legitimate precedent?
One reason was because it was not a unanimous decision Also because it had not been further strengthened by other courts, meaning that this was the first case of this kind and it was setting a precedent so that unanimous decision becomes necessary He also said that the decision was made on "false historical facts" so essentially it should be void
How did Christianity shape the slaves' experiences?
Religion and Chirsitanity was an outlet of hope for enslaved people. They often compared themselves to the Israelites in Egypt, God's people who were in bondage. The found hope through scripture in anticipation of the day they eventually earned freedom.
What were the "Sorrow Songs" and what were some of their uses for African American slaves?
Sorrow songs, or spirituals, were songs which depicted the harsh realities of slave life and sung of hope for their eventual release from bondage. Spirituals were often coded messages as well, letting people know of certain movements that were created to help people escape (ex: sweet chariot).
Why did Stephen Douglas propose that Kansas and Nebraska should be decided by popular sovereignty? Why was this a contentious proposal? What did he assume was going to happen? What actually happened?
Stephen Douglass proposed that Kansas and Nebraska should be decided by popular sovereignty because originally, the south did not support the plan and they needed the southern states in order to proceed. Douglass assumed that Iowa/ Mn would migrate, and failed to account for Missouri. He also assumed that the law did not specify when the issue was to be decided (people flooded into Kansas for the vote)
What did this ruling mean for the existence of slavery within the Union?
Suddenly, the entire nation was open to salvery (west and north), tide seemed to turn in the south's favor and the anti-slavery movement seemed to be nullified
Why didn't the Anaconda Plan work?
The Anaconda Plan was an incredibly well thought out plan. Made by General Winfield, the plan consisted of 3 parts: 1. Army of the Potomac defends D.C., 2. Don't let the south have any goods, and 3. Divide and constrict the Confederates. The fault of this plan though, existed not within the plan itself, but in the Union's inability to act with urgency. Basically, the plan was a bust because they took too long and were far too hesitant.
. Explain how the Compromise of 1850 was reached and what was included in the Compromise. What was forever undone?
The Compromise of 1850, an omnibus bill which passed 4 different resolutions, undid the premises of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. The Debates on the Compromise of 1850 highlighted three different opinions: those of Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Webster. Clay believed personally that slavery should not spread, but politically, he was willing to allow its expanison if the majority favored it. Calhoun took a more practical approach to solving the issue, claiming that if people loved the union, they would unwaveringly uphold the ideals within the constitution. Finally, Webster focused more on the minor details of a split within the Union, asking the essential questions like "Who would get the flag?" or "What would happen to the army?". Ultimately the compromise was passed with four bills: 1) California is to be admitted as a free state, 2) cession lands are to be divided into New Mexico and Utah territories, left up to popular sovereignty, 3) the slave trade is to be abolished in Washington D.C., and finally 4) the fugitive slave clause was to be strengthened. This compromise allowed slavery to exist where it had been previously prohibited through the Missouri Compromise.
Explain what Lincoln meant by the metaphor of the Constitution being a silver frame around an apple of gold (Declaration of Independence).
The Declaration of Independence, a document which outlined the fundamental principles of American government, was a lofty document with grand ideals. The Constitution, acting as the silver frame, perfectly encapsulated the principles of the Declaration is a more practical sense. It was the document that outlined the way in which these principles were to be carried out and practiced.
What was the Nat Turner Rebellion? Why was it significant?
The Nat Turner Rebellion, occurring in August of 1832, was a slave uprising that ended with the death of 57 white people dead. This uprising was led by Nat Turner, who enlisted the help of 200 southerners who heard of the rebellion through the grapevine. The rebellion terrified southerners, causing stricter policies to be employed and destroyed the Northern myth of a harmonious existence.
Why was Ft. Sumter a strategic victory for the Union, though they were the ones to surrender?
The Siege of Ft. Sumter was a strategic victory for the Union even though they were the ones to surrender because the Confederates ended up looking like the bad guys. Not only were the Confederates the first to fire on the Ft, but they also continued to fire after Lincoln took initiative by attempting to restock the Union soldiers stuck. This looks like plain malice from the Confederacy.
How was the South uniquely positioned to become the home of the "peculiar institution" of slavery?
The South was uniquely positioned to become the home of the "peculiar institution" of slavery because with it has fertile soil for cash crops (cotton, tobacco, rice, sugar, and indigo). There is also a long growing season, which means an almost constant production of these crops. The south also has navigable waterways, meaning transportation of goods. All of these things contribute to the growing institution of slavery in the south as the cotton economy depended on a high force of labor for low/no cost in order to make a profit.
What was discussed at the Debates in the Virginia General Assembly? What was the outcome?
The Virginia General Assembly, held in 1831 and 1832, discussed the terms of slavery within the United States. Nobody in the assembly argued for the permanent protection of the institution, but the resolution was voted down. In 1836, the gag rule was passed in the House, which prohibited members from legislative bodies from discussing the reoccuring issue of slavery.
When did the first seven states secede? Why? What did they use to justify secession constitutionally?
The first seven states had seceded by February 1, 1861 and they used the Compact theory, that believes the Constitution is a contract between the parties (states) and that if there are violations to the contract states have a right to leave.
What is "Manifest Destiny"?
The idea of Manifest Destiny encapsulates the idea that the United States was a God-ordained country, and would eventually spread, through territorial expansion, throughout the entire continent. However, while it promoted territorial expansion, it also produced the belief that liberty and Rebulican ideals would spread as well. The idea of "manifest destiny" was often viewed in a negative light, yet it still upheld the same lofty ideals found within founding documents.
What is the idea of popular sovereignty? Why is it inherently problematic?
The idea of popular sovereignty supported determining the slave question by letting the people vote. Thus, any state left to the power of popular sovereignty could either be admitted to the union as a slave or free state. While popular sovereignty was effective for a period of time, the idea itself was a way to avoid actually tackling the question of existence of slavery within the United States. It was a band-aid fix to a larger, moral problem.
How do the societal layers correspond to geographical layers of the South?
The societal layers correspond with the thriving of the economy in that area of the south. The areas are deep south, upper south, and border south. The deep south (SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, and east TX) has the most fertile soil which is the most conducive to farming and is dependent on the commercial cotton production ("cotton belt")--> 4 million slaves were owned here and a lot of the rich plantation owners lived. The upper south (VA, NC, TN, AR) varied in its agricultural economy because the climate is less favorable for farming and more Yeoman farmers lived there (grow for themselves, not for profit). The border south (DE, MD, KY, MO) borders the north and cotton could not thrive.
Why did Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren as presidents resist annexing Texas? What did they fear would happen?
There were two main reasons that Jackson and Van Buren resisted the annexation of Texas: 1) They thought it would re-ignite a war with Mexico and 2) that it would disrupt the relatively peaceful existence between the north and the south, yet again prompting the slave question to be considered.
Why were westward expansion and the issue of slavery unavoidably intertwined?
Westward expansion and slavery were so closey intertwined because as territorial advances were made, the question of whether or not slavery was to exist in those new reigions immediatly followed. The balance of power within the senate was extremely delicate; if either side had another state entered, the representatives from that state could tip the balance of power.
What were the effects of the external slave trade ending in 1808?
While the end of the external slave trade was a significant development, this only strenghtened the internal slave trade. The price of owning a slave quadrupled between 1800 and 1860. Many had to seek alternatives, which often included kidnapping slave women and raping them. Many white owners would engage in this act with their women, defiling them and subjecting them even further to the oppressive hand of slavery.
How did various members within the US government attempt to solve the potential crisis that resulted from the Mexican Cession?
With the new territories admitted through the Mexican Cession, the slave question was yet again a point of consideration. The Wilmot Proviso, drafted in 1846 by David Wilmont of Pennsylvania, proposed that Texas remain a slave state but that slavery should not be upheld in any territory they had acquired from Mexico. However, John C. Calhoun argued that this was unconstitutional (5th amendment).