HIST 119 - Civil War - Final Exam

First Decoration Day

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Sectional Reconciliation

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Compromise of 1850

- 1850 - delayed war -Context: Taylor wants to admit CA and NM as states which would tip the balance of power in the senate. South upset about feeble enforcement of existing slave laws 1) CA comes in as a free state (gold rush) 2) slave trade abolished in DC 3) US pays TX $10m to move boundary east, which makes room for future slave states in NM 4) Fugitive Slave Act 5) Rest of the Meexican Cession (modern day utah, nevada, nm) will have its slavery status decided by pop sov - 5 measures voted on separately and each narrowly passes, which spoke to sectionalism in congress - Consequences: fug slave act polarizing, radicalized many formerly moderate northerners, established corrupt judicial system in which judges were paid for convictions (see fug slave act) -Clay (KY), Webster (MA), Calhoun (SC)

Kansas-Nebraska Act

- 1854 - During westward expansion, territory west of Missouria/Iowa became appealing bc of soil. - 3 versions until it passed - The law created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska by allowing popular sovereignty for the fate of slavery there - Effectively repealed Missouri compromise line, which said that above a certain line would be free (KS and NB both above) - Resulted in "bleeding Kansas" - Orchestrated by Stephen Douglas who said it had nothing to do with slavery just self-government - Causes a split in the Whig party bc northern Whig opposed but southern whig in favor. -some argue resulted in forming repub party - KEY POINTS: pop sov, the start of SECTIONALIZING Am politics, question of slavery in the WEST, Stephen Douglas looks bad after

Bleeding Kansas

- 1854 (55-56 fighting, and even beyond) - Many northern reps believe in a big slave power conspiracy in government that they need to fight back agains - Following KS/NB Act, Northerners vs. "border ruffians" (southerners) rushed to KS to vote for pop sovereignty and craft new state constitution - North (freesoilers): Kansas Constitution in Topeka, South: Lecompton Constitution in Lecompton - Lot of violence, illegal voting -Charles Sumner speech "the crime against kansas" led to his caning by Preston Brooks. speech was moral condemnation of slavery -Also led to John Browns Pottawatomie Creek Massacre (killed 5 pro slavery people) - july4, 1856 500 US troops into Topeka to disperse legislature - August 1856: thousands of pro slavery men formed into armies and marched into kansas. - all in all 56 ppl died in kansas -violence presaged civil war and indicated that compromise unlikely. proxy war.

Caning of Charles Sumner

- 1856 - Middle of bleeding KS, Sumner gives a speech called "Crime Against Kansas" speech which was a moral indictment of slavery. in the speech he characterized Butler (south carolina senator) as a pimp for slavery. In response Preston Brooks (cousin of butler, SC congressman) beat the crap out of Sumner with a cane and nearly killed him - sumner went on to become leader of Radical Republicans and criticized Lincoln for not going far enough - Polarization of N and S as Sumner became hero and martyr type in N while Brooks was hero in south -sumner later came up with "state suicide" trying to argue away presidential authority from Johnson

Dred Scott Decision

- 1857 - Considered worst decision in supreme court history - Chief Justice Taney - Dred Scott was slave whose owner moved from Missouri to IL/MN. Dred Scott sued saying since hes in free state he should be free. Lower court rules he's free, but Missouri Supreme Court says no. - US Supreme court gets involved and says 1) Black people arent citizens 2) Dred Scott is not free, and that black men had "no rights which a white man was bound to respect" 3) Congress isn't allowed to prohibit slavery bc of fifth amendment which protects property rights - Consequences: Republicans refused to recognize decision as anything but a dictum, more questions over popular sov and more sectionalism - Keys: slaves no longer citizens, more northern fear about slavery, lincoln gets more political capital by further polarized northerners

The "Shrinking South"

- A theory that became popular during the debates over slavery in the border states. -Southerners claimed that abolishing slavery in the Northern border states would cause the price of slaves to decrease in the Southern border states, leading to slave owners selling their slaves further South and thus shrinking slavery's influence. -The theory showcases how slavery was intrinsically tied to the South's economy and the fear Southerners had about limiting slavery in some areas. -KEY: The theory meant that for many Southerners, an attack on slavery anywhere was an attack on slavery everywhere.

Stephen Douglas

- Antebellum Illinois moderate Democrat Senator, good at compromising -Split up Compromise of 1850 into 5 votes so it would pass -Main author of KS/NB Act - Big fan of pop sov until bleeding KS - 1860 Nor Dem candidate for president, loses to Lincoln - Edges out Lincoln in 1858 election for IL senate after LD debates. Douglas enumerates Freeport Doctrine (that in spite of Dred Scott decision, slavery could be excluded from territories by local legislation) - Represented much of what made Democratic positions strange regarding slavery --> sectional issues for democrats in 1860 election. In fact, southern dems leave convention bc upset at his Freeport Doctrine and so remeaining delegates nominate Douglas - keys: KS/NB, POP SOV, 1860 ELECTION, 1850 COMP

Harriett Beecher Stowe

- Author of Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) which dramatized evils of slavery post-Fugitive Slave Act - Pushed american literature forward - widely read during KS-NB sectionalization crisis - energized abolitionist sentiment - stowe showed that slavery touched all of society (implicated everyone) - hypocritical religion of the south, malicious and overly permissive masters, attempts to seperate families

Frederick Douglass

- Black social reformer and abolitionist - grew up enslaved, son of white master and slave woman - hired out to Baltimore, saw what freedom looked like, escaped in 1838 and published his narrative in 1845 - An important abolitionist political figure, traveled on speaking engagements with William Lloyd Garrison through the North and to other countries. However, in favor of a policy of political action for abolition, so split from Garrison (Garrison believed that abolitionists should abstain from political process altogether bc slavery so ingrained in constitution). - "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" 1845. Sophia Auld was wife of Hugh Auld and helped teach Douglass how to read, but then she becomes cruel. Edward Covey=nemesis and evil man, anti-Christian - Advocated schools, supported blacks in union army - Advisor to lincoln during war but not happy with Lincoln for not going far enough after EP (supported Fremont in 1864 election)

Emancipation Proclamation

- Drafted Sept 1862, signed and put into effect Jan 1 1863 -Declared that over 3m slaves in US are free -Excluded: 450k slaves in loyal border states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri, 275k slaves in Union-occupied Tennessee, 10k+ under control of federal armies -broadened goals of civil war to include freeing slaves -did not define them as citizens (13th amendment) -Originally a military tactic, became a policy focal point -Higher stakes now: if N wins, total upending of social and economic fabric in S

Free Labor Ideology

- Free Labor Ideology was the belief that Northern free labor was superior to southern slave labor. It became central to republican ideology and was the result of expanding and industrializing economy of 19th C. - Its essential idea was that free labor was a better system than slave labor morally and in productive ability. They believed that the territories should be free states so as best to spread this ideology so that men could work their own land with their own labor. -market forces: enlightenment -Westward exp was central to this idea -northerners thought slave labor system would undermine this distribution of wealth. Wanted free labor to prevail and social mobility to be possible (slavery would depress wages and lead to job competition) -big around 1852 -NO SLAVERY BC IT HURTS FREE LABOR

Popular Sovereignty

- Idea championed by Stephen douglas, supported by antebellum (1850's) democrats -State government votes on slavery -big pre-war debate -kansas nebraska act and bleeding Kansas -increase in sectional conflicts

"Harmony of Interests"

- Idea that was in at the core of free-labor ideology - progressive dream of harmony of interest aka abundance of wealth made possible by capitalism among rational men. everyone benefits from positive interactions with other -self interest and market forces will work. implies that the right balance of federal and private economic arrangments can balance class interests - everyone is happy if govt does its job right - Republican ideal (Henry Charles Carey) - Republican party effectively transformed federal government along these ideals

Election of 1856

- James Buchanan (D) won the election, but first time Republicans ran a candidate (John C. Freemont from CA, senator) and won 33/39% of popular vote -repubs focused on "crime against kansas" carreid almost every free state. platform against slavery, -Millard Fillmore (know nothings) focused on immigration -Buchanan had been in britain as ambassador and carried every slave state and then some. northerner with southern sympathies. liked pop sov -FIRST REPUB to run

Election of 1860

- Lincoln vs Stephen Douglas (D), John C. Breckenridge (southern D) and John Bell (Cons Union Party) -Lincoln born in KY -Four party election: sectionalism -Lincoln wasnt even on ballot in many southern states - recieved no votes in 9 states! -Split in D party allowed lincoln to win, won only 39% of pop vote -Lincoln's platform was to not mess with slavery, but still viewed as abolitionist in many parts -RESULTS: Seven states declare secession (led by SC in dec 1860) and form confederacy, Jefferson Davis president. Slave code for territories seeking explicit constitutional protection for slave ownership -Lincoln

John Brown

- MA Calvinist and violent radical/revolutionary abolitionist - Thought slavery was such an entrenched evil that it took rev acts to destroy it, not just normal politics - Family commits Pottawatomie Creek Massacre against pro-slavery Kansans (part of Bleeding KA), some of whom had been slaying free-soilers - Orchestrated Harper's Ferry Raid (VA), for which he was eventually executed (became martyr for abolitionism). Others like fred doug new about it but backed out. Harp ferry happens right before election of 1860: sense of fear - Controversial figure, as south hated obviously and some north feared his attack could be ground for southern insurrection - reinforced fears of a slave rebellion - Key: public symbol, pottawatomie creek massacre and harper's ferry - 1st, he was a Northern abolitionist attempting to rouse the slaves to revolution (the embodiment of a black republican). 2nd, they saw it as a distinct possibility that the slaves would revolt, creating a race war that would end in white submission and miscegenation.

First Reconstruction Act

- March 1867 over presidential veto (2/3) of senate -Divided states in s into 5 military districts which had commanding officers which were put in charge of reconstruction policy in that district (acting gov). -meant to guarantee black suffrage through continued occupation of the south -required fed army to oversee process of registering eligible voters and supervising process of southern states rewriting their constitutions and ratifying the 14th amendment to be allowed back into union -rooted in unionism, radical in terms of equality before the law on some level, positive interventionalist government -ultimately failed, but helped with adoption of 14th amendment

Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

- Most controversial part of Compromise of 1850 - Any slave who escapes to North had to be returned to his master and established system in every state of enforcing these things (magistrates) - Paid magistrates more for convicting than acquitting - Northerners hated the law but had to enforce it (increased abolitionist sentiment bc they were now complicit) - Keys: establishment of a new judiciary, polarized moderate northerners, brought slavery issue to the foreground in north bc it was at "home"

Know-Nothing Party (American Party)

- Operated on a national basis in 1850's - Nativist, protestant anti-immigrant -purify american politics by limiting or ending the influence of irish catholics -empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by german and irish catholic immigrants -membership limited to protestant men -demonstrates the way in which northern politics were severely divided in the 1850's and how one of lincoln's biggest successes was in preventing nativist issues from overshadowing the expansion of slavery and sectionalism -eventually those opposed to slavery absorbed into repubs, party split by sectional lines -1854 election: won 40 conress seats and gov seats -became constitutional union party

John Bingham

- Prosecutor in the impeachment of Andrew Johnson -Principal framer of the 14th amendment in 1868 -Significance: wrote the amendment!!! Huge deal!! -ohio congressman

John C. Calhoun

- Senator from SC until death in 1850, served as VP as well earlier - Strict constructionist and states' rights supporter. nullification (states could declare null and void federal laws which they viewed as unconstitutional) and free trade, limited government. saw these as only ways to save the union. -big slave guy: white supremacist and paternalism - Big fan of 5th amendment calling slaves property. - began career as a nationalist but his stance shifted significantly in the 1830's. - best known for intense and original defense of slavery as something positive ("positive good"), his distrusts of majoritarianism, and for pointing the south towards secession from the union - speech in march 1850: if CA joins union the south must secede -opposed comp of 1850^ -HEAVILY INFLUENCED SOUTHERN SECESSION THEORIES

Slave Society

- Somewhere between 1/2 and 1/4 of souther population was slaves - people are raised, socialized, marry, work, invest in the idea of people as property and hone most basic values under a system of human slavery -society where the fundamental class conflict is based on the division of people - developed as a result of the cototn explosion: cotton gin was land of cotton and entirely dependant on slave labor -4m slaves in 1850 - naturally reproducing and self-perpetuating -compare to industrializing north

Contraband

- Term used to describe a new status for escaped slaves that were affiliated w union forces. slaves who crossed union borders were confiscated property and not returned to confederacy -became official policy due to EP, but some argue that escaped slaves made it so that lincoln HAD to do EP -Many joined union army in 1863 -general Benjamin Butler coined term, but it was means to an end, not decisive moral policy -Contraband blacks not treated especially well, mirrored post-war issues -very much undermined southern war effort

Rutheford B. Hayes

- Winner of disputed 1876 election -Upon his inauguration in March 1877, Rutherford B. Hayes made it clear in private communications that his southern policy would be a "let alone policy." -In the spirit of the Compromise of 1877, the South would be allowed to control its own social institutions, its political culture, and its lives. -The "let alone policy" and the end of reconstruction buried the idealist push for political equality -As President he ended Army support for Republican state governments in the South (comp 1877)

Pro-Slavery Ideology

- contemptuous of Enlightenment principles that free-labor ideology was based on - pro-slavery supporters believed that there was a natural right to things like property (people) but not freedom or equality - world built on dependency, not independence: classes crucial to makeup of societies -slavery was the way countries progressed from barbarisim to civilization -class of landless poor was easily manipulated and could thus destabilize society as a whole so they should be enslaved -obviously also had a racial bias that often had biblical ties -COTTON WAS KING -"positive good" of slavery

Southern Yeoman Farmers

- dependent white class in the south, very poor, non-slaveholding, land-owning farmers - looking for economic improvement -idea that slaveocracy was killing the yeoman farmer - jeffersonian concept of american economics -important political interest bc they were essential to perpetuity of slavery without directly benefitting from it economically -as a result, important demographic -told that they would be thrown into competition with freedmen and suffer bc of it -during the war, this group was prone to desertion and defecting bc their reasons for fighting weren't as ideological

Wilmot Proviso

- introduced in 1846, attempted again in 1847 and finally failed that year (passed house but south had senate) - Law that aimed to prohibit slavery in new territories acquired from mexico. -Wilmont Proviso was introduced by dem PA congman david wilmont: an addition to the bill president James Polk presented to Congress requesting 2m to settle the border with mexico following mex american war. -Sectional conflict of interest -Wilmont: iddn't care about slaves just wanted free labor -failure led to compromise of 1850 as sectional conflicts persisted

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

- leading up to 1858 election, series of seven debates between Lincoln and Douglas for senate seat - previewed issues that lincoln would face in aftermath of 1860 presidential election -Major issues in the debates: slavery and its expansion into the territories - Douglas claimed Lincoln was in favor of mixing the races and was big time abolitionist -Lincoln said pop sov would perpetuate slavery and pressed Douglas to reconcile it with the Dred Scott decicion -Helped raise lincoln's profile - Douglas' view about pop sov unpopular: southern dems worried people in their state would eventually vote against slavery

Sharecropping

- predominant post-war southern labor system -freedmen and planters signed contracts that allowed freedmen to live on a plot of land and work the fields in echange for a portion of the crop -compromise between landowners and former slaves, but it also represented how slaves were economically trapped: no physical social or economic mobility -serfdom, people tied to land they didn't actually own -very oppressive -is this free labor? -prohibited true independence for blacks and allowed whites to keep upper hand

Compromise of 1877

-15 man committe 8R -the 20 electoral votes that were disputed went to Hayes bc 15man committe decided this. Hayes agreed to cede control of south on local level to dems and build transcontinental through TX. this EFFECTIVELY KILLED RECONSTRUCTION -Informal, unwritten deal, pulled federal troops out of state politics in south -"home rule" in louisiana, florida, south carolina -Fred douglass denounced compromised -led to leaving the enforcement of 13th-15th amendments up to local govts, rise to an era of white supremacy

William Lloyd Garrison

-1805-1879 -Prominent American abolitionist, influential of many anti-slavery movements -moderate colonizationist. believed slavery was ingrained in constitution -The Liberator: abolitionist newspaper he founded in 1831 -Founder of American Anti-Slavery society (one of) -believed union should be dissolved -immediate emancipation -women's suffrage movement -critic of conservative religious movement that supported slavery -nonviolent, passive resistance - split with douglass over ideas of political activism

Robert E. Lee

-1807-1870 -Confederate States general in chief, commander of army of northern VA -most prominent military figure -Despite early defeats in WV, Lee rose to prominence with major victories at seven days battles, second battle of bull run, fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville -Defeates: Antietam and Gettysburg, Appomattox Court House (april 9m 1865 -won battles although outnumbered

Southern Bread Riots

-1863 -Events of civil unrest in confederacy perpetuated by women -WHY? Inflation, Union blockade effective by end of the war, devastation of staple crop agriculture in the south. Union troops also occupied a lot of land. -one of world's greatest ag economies, people began to go hungry by late 63 and 64 bringing about bread riots in cities like Richmond, Charleston, and others. -also, 500k men went to war and couldnt produce food to that didn't help. -people rioted and raided and looted many shops -significance: showed social impact civil war had on home front, desperation of mostly women in war-time south

13th amendment

-1865: ratified on jan 31 by congress then by states on dec 6 -formally abolished slavery in US and made EP official -nullified fugitive slave clause and 3/5 compromise, so runaway slaves remained free and pop calculations for house changed drastically

Civil Rights Act of 1866

-1866 -Created by senator lyman trumbull as he believed that it was necessary to do more than just free the slaves: US had to figure out who they were, what rights they had, who would enforce those rights, etc -First ever civil rights act: gave rights and granted citizenship to all people in america except for native americans, first attempt to give meaning to 14th amendment but left enforcement to states -all citizens have rights from the 14th amendment, anyone who treis to deny another these rights or priviledges shall be fined -passed both houses of congress, vetoed by johnson -first time in US history that congress had attempted to create a statutory definition of citizenship, sign of radicals commitment to fundamnetal transformation in southern society, veto ffrom Johnson signalled that there would be many battles ahead over control and scope of reconstruction -vetoing led to passage of 14th amendment

Impeachment and Acquittal of Andrew Johnson

-1868: eleven articles of impeachment -as johnson continued to veto and not enforce radical reconstruction, cong repubs sought to impeach: constitutional crisis (government by veto/override), Johnson's own conduct (drunk, swing around circle), white supremacy, "partisan plot" thesis (impeach johnson so benjamin wade could become president (true radical)) -this was broad view of impeachment -other side: narrow view of impeachment: said johnson broke actual law (tenure of office act) by firing Edwin stanton without senate consent -7R did not vote for impeachment so he stayed by one vote. backroom deals made to ensure johnson's acquittal. some R worried it was too politically motivated and would hurt their chances for 1868 election

1913 Gettysburg Reunion

-50th anniversary of Battle of Gettysburg, July 4th 1913. 53k veterans assembled for largest Civil War Reunion ever -Declare meaning and memory of the civil war -lots of forgiveness and camaraderie etween two sides, but issues of slavery and secession had been forgotten/left out: "structural amnesia" or "habit memory"

Carpetbagger

-A northerner who moved to the south after civil war, especially during Reconstruction in order to profit from instability and power vacuum that existed at the time -pejorative term referring to the carpet bags (a fashionable form of luggage) which many of these newcomers carried -associated with opportunism and exploitation by outsiders -seen as insidious northern outsiders with questionable objectives meddling in local politics, buying up plantations at fire-sale prices then taking advantage of outherners. -related to free-labor ideology and capitalism -

Fort Sumter

-April 1861 -First battle of the civil war. South attacks small island fortress outside Charleston after Lincoln sent more troops and supplies there after SC seceded. -Confederate victory -VA seceded in the wake -Sense of betrayal in the south bc they believed Lincoln would back off

Shiloh

-April 6-7, 1862 in SW Tennessee - Generals Grant and Buell vs Johnston and Beauregard - Both sides disorganized -escalation of the war -only half of Grant's army was there, confed troops suprise attacked, then Buell's reinforncements showed up -victory for union but massive casualties (23k casualties btwn n and s) -Led N and S to realize war woulnd't be over in matter of months, increased mobilization on home front after shiloh -Grant says Shiloh shifted N strategy toward total war! -Johnston dead

Income Tax

-Both the Union and confederacy implemented income taxes to fund costly civil war -Union: Revenue Act of 1861 (flat 3% tax) and Revenue Act July 1862 (progressive tax starting at 3%) -Confed: 1863. Problematic for South bc it raised significantly less money and further alienated southerners who saw this as an infrigement of rights in an already failing economy backed by greenbacks. decrease in moreale in south. -INCOME TAX --> TOTAL WAR, EVERYONE INVOLVED

"Whiskey Ring"

-Conspiracy exposed in 1875 that diverted government tax dollars and included politicians, whiskey distillers, and gov agents. -group of gov officials taking alcohol tax dollars -seen by many as a sign of corruption under the Republican governments that took power across the nation following the Civil War -General Orville E. Babcock, the private secretary to the President, was indicted as a member of the ring — for this reason, President Ulysses S. Grant, although not directly involved in the ring, came to be seen as emblematic of Republican corruption, and later scandals involving his Secretary of War William W. Belknap only confirmed that perception. -The Whiskey Ring scandal, along with other alleged abuses of power by the Republican party, contributed to national weariness of Reconstruction, which ended after Grant's presidency with the Compromise of 1877

King Cotton

-Cotton's future seemed limitless -slogan summarizing economic ideology used before and during the war by the confederacy to show that secession was economically feasible and there was no need to fear war -dominant cash crop -english reliable on southern cotton for textiles -wanted to leverage to get british and french to recognize them

Lincoln's 10% Plan

-Dec 1863 executive order -Lincoln's plan for reinstatement of southern states back into the union when just 10% of the voters in the state took an oath of allegiance to union including abiding by the EP -Viewed states as never having left eh union bc secession is illegal: uner his powers to readmit them into the union -contrast with wade davis bill -plan met with criticism from congrss: felt it was in its power to reinstate southern states -pardons to all but high ranking confed officers -lenient bc he wanted to end war swiftly and make EP popular

Self-Emancipation

-Efforts of black slaves to free themselves, usually at great risk -during the war, slaves would escape to union territory and declare themselves free -Lincoln given credit for freeing slaves with EP, but worked in harmony with self-emancipation as well -freedmen partially responsible for freedom -their actions made freedom of slaves POLITICAL PRIORITY and necessitated EP in many ways

15th Amendment

-Feb 1869, ratified 1870 -granted african americans the right to vote -third and last of reconstruction amendments -defining factor of reconstruction era -HOWEVER: tons of loopholes, and black disenfranchisement continued -economically, blacks still on their own

Wallace Turnage

-From "A Slave No More" -Illustrates that emancipation depended on close proximity to the war -From ages 14 to 17 Turnage attempted to escape 5 times in the midst of the war. Repeatedly ran away into northern Mississippi to get to Union armies and was repeatedly captured. finally escaped slavery and became servant of white officer. -movement of armies meant movement of slaves -worked in NYC later -firsthand account of self emancipation and decisions slaves needed to make

John Washington

-From "A Slave No More" by Prof Blight -slave who lived a "town life" in VA (relatively well off) and escaped to freedom during the war. got to union lines in april 1862. -Tied to: self-emancipation, contraband, etc -later served in union army -biracial but slave whole life -valued free labor ideology -Christian, faith important to him -later went to DC

Virginia Campaign of 1864

-Grant launched an 1864 spring an offensive through Va, including battles of wilderness and cold harbor (attacking well defended position, huge union casualties, but then siege of petersburg) -massive casualties but resulted in union victory with sieges of richmond and petersburg (then led to lee's surrender in 1865) -signified evolution into war of attrition (massive amounts of desertion from confed soldiers)

Secession Commissioners

-Group of southern figures (including judges, doctors, politicians, lawyers) appointed by southern governors of 5 slave states (SC GA AL MS LA) in the wake of Lincoln's election -advocated secession in other slave states -APOSTLES OF DISUNION -Extreme racism. Protection of social order, libelihood, future -exposed southern psyche: these documents are why people point to slavery as reason for the war

Lyman Trumbull

-IL senator during the civil war and co-author of the 13th amendment -wasn't a huge fan of impeachment proceedings in 1868. Broke party lines along with 6 other repub senators to acquit johnson

Guieseppe Garibaldi

-Italian War hero that was responsible for Italian unification. Brilliant general -From Cause of All Nations book -popular internationally as well -Offered services to Lincoln and the US in 1862 if the US would make objective of the war be the abolition of slavery. Lincoln unwilling to do this at the time. -Showed international uncertainty about the objective and outcome of the war -showed how lincoln's objectives changed throughout the war

Field Order Number 15

-Jan 1865: Issued by Sherman in SC bfore appomattox, ordered right after successful march to the sea and just prior to march to SC. -order confiscated confed property to be claimed by the union army: example of total war strategy (about 400k acres) - wanted to punish planter class and provide aid for thousands of af am following sherman's army -AJ revoked order in fall of 1865 -war on southern lifestyle

Andrew Johnson's Veto of the 1866 Civil Rights Bill

-Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 (see below) but it was overridden by ⅔ majority Congressional vote -objected to the measure because it conferred citizenship on the freedmen at a time when 11 out of 36 states were unrepresented in the Congress, and that it discriminated in favor of African Americans and against whites WHAT? -Significance: shows that Johnson was against reconstruction (sabotaging it) -often seen as a key mistake of Johnson's presidency, convinced Moderates there was no hope of working with him. Historian Eric Foner in his volume on Reconstruction views it as "the most disastrous miscalculation of his political career". -According to Stewart, the veto was "for many his defining blunder, setting a tone of perpetual confrontation with Congress that prevailed for the rest of his presidency"

Gettysburg

-July 1-3, 1863 Gettysburg, PA -Most casualties in the whole war -Union army defeated Lee ending his attempt to invade the North -fought over 3 days: 1) south victory 2) more union troops show up, stalemate 3) Lee massive infantry assault (12.5k troops Prickett's Charge) at Cemetary Ridge, massive mistake bc union had high ground -General Meade didn't end the war by pursuing Lee into VA -South became pessimistic, north became optimistic -turned tide of the way -Lincoln gave Getty Address 4mo later that year proclaiming the war to be more about secession but ALSO human equality -Last southern attempt to go north -53k casualties total

Second Confiscation Act

-July 17, 1862 -Allowed Union military to free slaves of "anyone in rebellion" -clarified status of freed slaves rather than just as controband of war like First Confiscation Act -Indicative of war's turn to an attack on southern social order not just southern army -idea of emancipation as a means to victory -establishes legal precedent for upcoming EP -Extending executive power

Siege of Atlanta

-July 1864 -Sherman invaded northern GA in May, surrounds Atlanta by July -Began with battle of atlanta in july and continued until sept 2 -sherman cut off rail and road supplies, starves and burns atlanta -sherman: political war of killing morale, TOTAL WAR -2mo, atlanta became starting point of sherman's subsequent 5week march to the sea ending in Savannah -big for ELECTION of 1864, Lincoln was running against his former General McClellan (anti-war truce platform). Atlanta gave Lincoln much needed surge

Vicksburg

-Last major confed stronghold on Mississippi, held by gen Pemberton -Grant attempted to take it twice in May 1863, but repulsed -Month and a half long siege finally ended on July 4, 1863 bc soldiers had literally nothing to eat -Surrender occurred the day after gettysburg: dual union victories considered turning points of war -AK and TX cut off from confederacy -Mississippi river able to be used for union supply and commerce

Radical Reconstruction

-Led by Thaddeus Stevens, charles sumner, bejamin wade -Second phase of reconstruction -sought a long punitive process for states to be readmitted to union with congressional control. CONGRESS not PRES JOHNSON in charge of readmitting states -sumner "state suicide" - First Reconstruction Act represented the transition from Presidential Reconstruction to Radical Reconstruction led by the Radical Republicans who overrode President Johnson's veto to get the act passed -radicals wanted to fundamentally change the social order in the south and achieve a definition of freedom for blacks, schools, suffrage -Some key actions: 1) 14th amendment 2)reconstruction act of 1867 (first) 3) other reconstruction acts laid out enforced 4) enforcement acts (force acts) 1870-71: including the KKK Act which authorized the president to send the military to areas of insurrection and suspend the writ of habeas corpus to enforce black suffrage/stop the KKK

Thaddeus Stevens

-Main leader of radical republicans in congress, influential abolitionist legislator before and during civil war and was chairman of the house ways and means committee so he had influence during the war -opponent of discrimination -led congressional fight against pres johnson to secure greater rights for southern blaacks and harsher terms for the south's reintegration into the nation -pres johnson impeachment: key figure -his death tempered radical plans, lead to retreat phase of reconstruction

George B. McClellan

-Major union general during the war -Overly cautious, inaction, lincoln removed him from top general in 1862 -Peninsula Campaign in 1862 was a failure as well bc he was cautious -Allowed Lee to escape at Antietam with a draw -Ran against lincoln in 1864

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

-May 4, 1865 -Waning days of confederacy -lincoln lays out a vision of conciliatory reconciliation -"with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are i, to bind up the nation's wounds" -drew on scripture, healing, divine will: sermon -recognition of umistakable evil of slavery

Confederate "Soldiers' Wives"

-McCurry describes wartime southern womanhood in Confederate Reckoning. Idea of being a "soldier's wife" was a sign of pride and identity. -Departure of husbands, brothers, fathers, undermined southern patriarchy and completely destabilized social fabric -empowered women at times: elite women took on new role in raising money to support role, joine warfare as clerks, nurses, teachers -also affected women negatively: forced them to leave homes, manage slaves and plantations -IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN IDEALS OF FEMININITY WHILE MANAGING SLAVES -"politics of subsistence": demanded help from gov as a right -shows war had social impact on white women in the south and emerging agency -elite women grew disillusioned

Union Leagues

-Men's clubs founded on loyalty to the Republican party and lincoln, supported union in war effort -aggressively supported repub policies, including enfranchisement of black males in south -union league set up all over the country as extension of repub party and were social settings for ment tog et together -raised money -after the war: leagues worked in the south to denounce traitorous whites they didn't think should vote and enroll blacks on voting lists to gain support for repub candidates -evolved into social and civic group after war

Pearl

-Mixed race girl from Doctorow's "the March", female slave -union soldiers destroy her plantation and she is freed, becomes union drummer boy then nurse -model for understanding how wartime was experienced at intersection of race and gender -travels with sherman's troops through towns and watches total war in action - lots of slaves left with nothing bc of total war (other side

The "Trent Affair"

-Nov 8, 1861 -US Illegally captures two confederate diplomats from a british ship -british protested vigorously, US released them -almost brought british into the war -related to "cotton diplomacy"

Sherman's March to the Sea

-Nov-Dec 1894 led by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman -Won atlanta, then left there in november (beginning). taking savannah was the ending in Dec 21 -Sherman led 60k soldiers on 285 mile march destroying plantations, taking supplies, and destroying railroads as they went. terror. - intended to psychologically destroy the southern hope for sucess and make them wish for an immediate end to the war. -TOTAL WAR: Civil war began as limited conflict, but Shiloh made people reconsider. -never had been march of this scale, destruction, and political significance -very little resistance -tons of slaves goined them -Hero in north, sign of northern brutality in south

Harpers Ferry Raid

-October 1859 -John Brown led raid on US Arsenal at Harper's Ferry, VA, hoping to start a slave insurrection with the arms there - John Brown and 20 men - Held arsenal for a day before Robert E. Lee arrested him and followers. -Hanged and martyred -Douglass believed plan was crazy - perhaps did it to inspire war -"John Brown's Body" became a popularly played song. -N applauded clause but didn't support means. South feared war and divide grew

Election of 1876

-One of most significan and contentious elections in Am history -one of four presidential elections in which the winner of the popular vote lost the race nd the only time a candidate who received over 50% of the vote didn't become president -Samuel Tilden (D NY) won pop vote but Rutherford B Hayes (OH R) won electoral college by 1 -D was now a national party, not just a southern one, ran on platform of anti-corruption and civil service reform -Hayes was moderate R, wanted to end reconstruction. Not fond of federal civil rights bill. "let alone policy": didn't beleive in forcing blacks and whites together. Bloody shirt rhetoric to get votes in the north -Disputed votes in a few southern states, congress was supposed to decide if this happened, but they made a committe to resolve it -COMPROMISE OF 1877

Greenback Dollar

-Paper currency that the union introduced during the war, not backed by gold or silver just federal government -demand notes (1861-2) and united states notes (1862-5) -this was the first measure to finance the war since banks were asking union government for huge interest rates on loans

Election of 1864

-Pivotal election: Lincoln vs. McClellan (D) -McClellan ran on anti-war truce platform. lot of fatigue about war in the north. D argued that lincoln's insistance on emancipation was bad for nation -Sherman's capture of Atlanta was huge -overwhelming majority of soldiers voted for lincoln, 53% of civilian vote -only time ever that a republic attempted a general election during a civil war -mandate for war and for abolition

Confederate Nationalism

-Point of dispute for historians -political/cultural worldview which promotes the heritage southern culture v. yankee culture -on one hand, nationalism takes time to develop, and there was no real cohesive nation ofr the confed to support -some saw nationalism as support of state, some see it as support of south, slavery. -waning confederate nationalism affected success of south on the battlefront (faust) -Gallagher argues that there was a confed nationalism that maintained strength throughout the war. -related to LOSS OF WILL THESIS -Faust argues that nationalism by southern elite women began to disappear as southern society was disrupted -Nationalism did provide a concrete reason for southerners to get involved in the war effort, however, unlike more abstract reasons for the north

Jefferson Davis

-President of Confederacy 1861-65 -Prior: MS Congressman, Sec of War under Pierce 53-57, MS Senator 57-61 -Initially argues against secession in 1858, but obviously changed his mind -Constantly traveled around southern states giving speeches pushing idea that confed was a descendant of Am rev and that war was over tyrannical northern govt -personally responsible for much of wartime strategy -south and slavery apologist even beyond the war -failing southern economy forced him to print more and more money and inflate currency -reached out to other countries to get recog but ultimately unsuccessful

William H. Seward

-Secretary of state from 1861-69 -Important figure in northern republican politics -narrowly defeated by lincoln for republican nomination -strong advocate of abolition -Important in keeping foreign powers out of the war and was one of the most trusted cab members, despite undermining lincoln's authority early in the war

Antietam

-Sept 17, 1862 - Robert E Lee (commander after Johnston's death) led offensive into Northern territory maryland. misjudges support for S in the N. -First major battle on union soil - Bloodiest day of the war thus far, 8 hour battle - Gen McClellan forced Lee's army back from Antietam Breek across the Potomac. -major victory for union, but last in the east for awhile -lee's army badly damaged and mcclellan should have pressed advantage. -Blight: "a military campaign that changed history": made britain and france hesitate on recognizing confed and instead await an end to the war. huge blow to momentum of S. -Gave lincoln opportunity to issue EP. -24k dead or wounded

"Swing Around the Circle", 1866

-Speaking tour by Johnson to promote politicians who supported his lenient reconstruction policies in the upcoming midterm election, ultimately disasterous for Johnson bc his stump-style speeches were ineffective and people felt he was degrating dignity of his office -helped to further radicalize many moderate republicans who felt disenchanted with Johnsons presidential reocnstruction -huge sweep of rep vicoties in 1866 election

Southern Redemption

-Started around 1873 -Refers to the process of reclaiming state and local governments by the democratic party after the war's end (states were redeemed after dems got them back) -restrictive voting laws supressed black vote -group was generally rich landowners, businessmen -return of white supremacy and removal of black rights -contrast to reconstruction -political pressure to return to old order backed up by violence like KKK, white league, red shirts -northern apathy as reconstruction continued ensured that "the slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery" -WEB DuBois

"Let Alone Policy"

-The "Let alone policy" symbolizes the return of "Home Rule" in the south and the end of Reconstruction. -Upon his inauguration in March 1877, Rutherford B. Hayes—the Republican winner of the disputed election—made it clear in private communications that his southern policy would be a "let alone policy." -In the spirit of the Compromise of 1877, the South would be allowed to control its own social institutions, its political culture, and its lives. -The "let alone policy" and the end of reconstruction buried the idealist push for political equality.

Loss of Will Thesis

-Theory for why the South lost the civil war. Held that there was no strong united form of confederate nationalism and that civilians could not sustain morale over course of the war. In other words the south defeated itself from within especially after march to the sea -McClellan makes similar argument: morale ebbed and flowed with military victories and defeats for both sides. -overthrew the "lost cause" thesis in the 1960's. has been countered many times, many arguments have been made that there was a strong sense of confederate nationalism. -Significance: raises the question of was there really ever a confederate nation or was there a band of states who defended their homeland?

Election of 1868

-Ulysses S. Grant vs. Horatio Seymore, -black suffrage was the issue -one of most violent racist elections in history -republicans nominate grant, reconstruction platform -seymore declared reconstruction acts null and void, wanted to repeal 14th amendment and make sure the 15th never happens -referendum on what the war ment: dems claim a vote for repubs is a vote for the upending of entire social and political order of the south. Rep say vote for D is vote for confederacy -afam political movilization in huge numbers -KKK reign of terror in 5-6 southern states -grant won, afam vote important -swept electoral college but only narrowly won popular

Ulysses S. Grant

-Ulysses S. Grant was a Union General and the 18th President of the United States, succeeding Andrew Johnson in 1869. -During the Civil War, Grant notably orchestrated Union victories at Shiloh (April 1862), Vicksburg (July 1863) and at Appomattox (April 1865). -He is best known for his aggressive military strategy and for forcing Lee's army into a war of attrition during the Overland Campaign (May and June 1864). -Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse marked the end of the war. -Although Grant was not a fervent abolitionist, he struggled to uphold racial equality during Johnson's presidency. -He ran for president as a Republican in the Election of 1868 against Democratic candidate Horatio Seymour and won with 214- 84 electoral votes and with a margin of 300,000 popular votes. -As president, Grant has been criticized for tolerating corruption, being unable to revive the economy after the Panic of 1873, and for not sufficiently supporting Reconstruction efforts in the South. In later life, Grant completed his personal memoirs of the war, which proved a commercial and critical success. -scandals: gold panic of 1869 (some financiers cornered the gold market with the help of one of Grant's advisors telling govt not to sell gold), Whiskey Ring. Scandals undermined popularity of repub admin and moral authority to enforce reconstruction

The Narrow View of Impeachment

-Under this legal viewpoint, a perosn should only be impeached and convicted for breaking criminal statute -proponents fear setting a precedent of politically-motivated impeachments -repubs for impeachment of Johnson argued AJ had violated laws including Tenure of Office Act (firing Edwin Stanton without Congressional approval) and Command of Army Act (ordered army in south without congressional approval) -11 articles - 9 about violation of congress's acts and 2 stating that he abused his power -johnson was acquitted by one vote, largely bc fears that Johnson's impeachment would throw the upcoming pres election in 1868 against repubs

Charles Sumner

-antislavery MA senator, most famous for "crime against kansas" speech and getting beat up by Preston Brooks (andre butler cousin) -incident played big role in coming of the civil war -became leader of radical republican faction made sectionalism more intense -during the war pushed for more federal power, key voice for congressional authority

Colfax Massacre

-april 13, 1873 -wake of contested 1872 election for gov of louisiana and local offices, group of white dems overpowered rep reedmen and state militia (black) trying to control the Grant Parish in Colfax -white rep officeholders not attacked whereas most of freedman were killed -150 ppl killed -Foner: worse instance of racial violence during Reconstruction -Every election in Louisiana between 1868 and 1872 had lots of violence -US v Cruikshank

United States v. Cruikshank

-came in wake of 1873 colfax massacre -1876 decision -Cruikshank was leader of mob -federal charges brought against them under Enforcement Act of 1870, which prohibited two or more people from conspiring to deprive anyone on constitutional rights -In ruling, supreme court overturned the convictions of the white men, holding that the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment applies only to state action, not to actions by individual citizens -basically voided any congressional enforcement power on individuals of the 14th amendment -cruikshank went free and mass murder went unpunished -reconstruction unraveling, terror has green light

"State Suicide"

-charles sumner said the southern states had committed state suicide and had to be returned to the status of organized territories (not what lincoln 10% plan said) -relinquied their statehood and their readmission should be REGULATED BY CONGRESS -radical repub -congressional takeover of reconstruction in 1867 bc it confirmed taht congress had authority in dealing w states while maintaining that the southern states had no legal right to secede

Slave-Power Conspiracy

-conspiracy that the slave-owners had greater control over the government and controlled political outcomes in the 1850's - a few elite plantation owners in the south had disproportionate power over supreme court, presidency, and congress. - distrust for slave owners in north - republicans sold this ideology to the country to oppose an expansion of slavery - Evidence: fugitive slave act (1850), beating of charles sumner (1856), Dred Scott decision (1857) -helped elect lincoln in 1860 -violation of republicanism

Black Codes

-emerged during 1865 -Emerged during Johnson's presidential reconstruction and establishment of "johnson governments" -White only provisions laws in southern states to deny and restrict freedom of freed blacks -vagrancy law: free people couldn't travel without passes, allowed arrest of unemployed blacks to commit them to involuntary labor -if blacks quit, forfeit all wages they have earned thus far -show the south not ready to transition to free labor system -coutner-revolution agsint reconstruction -

Panic of 1873

-following the civil war and wartime boom in eonomy (expansion in railroad), post-war inflation coupled with a large trade deficit and european economic problems -economy went into deep depression -1873 coinage act: gradually decrease the value of silver relative to the US dollar and overdistribution of greenbacks -railroads went backrupt, banks had a lot of money in there. Many people lost savings bc savings in banks -unemployment rose -shifted political focus away from reconstruction to economic issues and forced repub party to rebrand itself -SOME ARGUE PRIMARY IMPETUS FOR END OF RECONSTRUCTION

Activist, interventionist government

-manpower and resources needed foro war in the north caused vast expansion of federal power. Rep party transformed the role of fed gov and took active roles in economic affairs (driving growth of wartime industries) -monetary system was revolutionized, income tax introduced, suspending habeas corpus, conscription brought fed gov into people's homes -big outcome of the war was rise in federal government power (SINGULAR UNITED STATES NOT PLURAL) -important for post war enforcement of civil rights with constitutional amendments and federal laws

Freedmen's Bureau

-march 3 1865 under US dept of war for purpose of aiding freed slaves during reconstruction -social welfare by military force -lincoln initiated the program: provide assistance to freedman in everyday lives (supply food, housing, medical, legal, schooling -engaged in an unprecedented amount of federal power and so all kinds of dems in the north are claiming its unconstitutional -schools was biggest accomplishment but not inland distribution -"making peace was so much harder than making war" -not of racial violence -significance: what to do with people who are now free but have literally nothing -if you give people political freedom, also responsible for economic and educational freedom too -target of violence -federal power

Wade-Davis Bill

-passed by congress in response to lincoln 10% in july 1864 - lincoln vetoes -required a majority of the voting population of ex confederate states to take oaths before even considering readmission to union -iron clad oath: get up and say you had never aided and abetted the confederate war effort -lincoln vetoed -radical republicans were really upset about it and issue da manifesto accusing lincoln of being too lenient with the south. Didn't like his executive power increasing

14th Amendment

-passed in 1866 and adopted in july 1868 after first reconstruction act forced new state gov to ratify it to be readmitted to union -federalizing the bill of rights -answering three challenges: defining citizenship and who gets to hold it, what to do with all debts fun up by ex confed states, and which ex confeds get pardons -all peopl born or naturalized in US are citizens (due process, equal protection). Representation given to all states based on population -excluded native americans

"Bloody Shirt"

-post civil war political strategy of appealing to voters by recalling their passions and hardships of the recent war -radical republicans used this "bloody shirt" to focus attention on reconstruction "waving the bloody shirt" was phrase used to ridicule opposing politicians who made emotional calls to avenge the lbood of political martyrs -mainly used by dems against reps who were accused of using memory of civil war to their advantage -Benjamin Butler held up a shirt stained by the blood of a carpetbagger that had been whipped by the KKk during reconstruction. Not true and this imagery used aginst reps -effective strategy for reps to win votes in 1868, 72, 76

Ku Klux Klan

-violent terrorist group that first appears during reconstruction in 1866. violence was one of the reasons reconstruction failed and radical govs rose and fell so quickly -gathering of ex conged soldiers that evenually expanded to include loyal leaders -primary goal was to stop black politics in the south and disrupt black independent life -1871 enforcement acts: KKK Act authorized president to use fed troops and suspend habeas corpus (arrest without charge) in order to go after the KKK: grant sent in cavalry and indicted over 1k ppl, who recieved light punishments -formed in response to 14th amendment -martial law in south caused violent underground resistance and backlash