Civil War

Wilmot Proviso (1846)

Amendment that sought to prohibit slavery from territories acquired from Mexico. Introduced by Pennsylvania congressman David Wilmot, the failed amendment ratcheted up tensions between North and South over the issue of slavery. piece of proposed legislation that would have made it illegal to have slaves in any land acquired by the United States as a result of the Mexican-American War

Aside from Reconstruction, what issues dogged the Grant administration in the 1870s?

Economic struggles and corruption scandals dogged the Grant administration throughout the 1870s. The failure to enact civil service reform was a particularly thorny issue.

According to Radical Republicans, what was the significance of the word reconstruction?

It suggested that former Confederate states could not continue with changes in their government. They had to be reconstructed, or restructured, not just admitted in the same form as they had been before secession. The word emphasized the need for dramatic change.

How did the book exert an international influence after publication?

It was popular in Europe and put a bright light on the challenge of slavery in a way that made many in Europe wonder why such things were being tolerated in the United States.

Summarize Johnson's plans for Reconstruction.

Johnson supported the Thirteenth Amendment. However, he did not support further protections or rights for black citizens. He declared a full pardon for most former Confederates who took an oath of loyalty to the nation and agreed to the abolition of slavery. This pardon, or amnesty, included the restoration of land seized by the Union army.

Black Codes

Laws denying most legal rights to newly freed slaves; passed by southern states following the Civil War

Describe the political setting of the North during the months leading up to the presidential election of 1864.

Leading up to the 1864 election, it was far from certain that Lincoln would serve a second term. Opposition to the war had grown in light of the lack of success on the battlefield. The South was confident that Lincoln would not be elected a second time, and they hoped that peace would be made with them if they could hold out until the end of his term of office. Lincoln also seemed to expect not to have a second term. However, as the election grew closer, the North began to win decisive battles in the war, and the tide began to change in their favor. Soon, as the North began to impose its advantage of greater power and resources on the South, public opinion swung back in Lincoln's favor, and he won the election and a second term of office.

Was the Emancipation Proclamation a contradiction of what Lincoln had said his approach to slavery would be as president?

Lincoln had consistently said that it was not his intention to interfere with slavery in the South. He also had refrained from portraying the Civil War as focused on slavery, insisting instead that it was a war to save the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation could certainly be seen as a contradiction to that promise and approach. However, a number of elements of the proclamation should perhaps show that Lincoln was quite consistent. First of all, the context of the rebellion of the South, as the North viewed it, certainly gave Lincoln some justification if he felt it necessary to alter his original plans. Had the South not seceded, is there any reason to think that Lincoln would have pursued emancipation in the South? Also, the proclamation itself provided an opportunity for Southern states to retain their slave-holding rights on one condition: returning to the Union. Thus, even in the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln gave highest priority to the desire to save the Union. Also, Lincoln's decision not to rule out slavery in the Northern border states is also relevant to this discussion. Was this inconsistent on Lincoln's part? It might actually prove how consistent Lincoln was. He was not primarily focused on ending slavery, but on preserving the Union. If emancipation of slaves in the rebelling states would help save the Union, he would do so, but emancipating slaves in the states still loyal to the Union would only risk greater division, and that was not Lincoln's goal. He wanted to preserve the Union. He was willing to allow slavery to continue in all states loyal to the Union.

Use the excerpt from Lincoln's First Inaugural Address to answer the question. How does Lincoln's speech reflect Southern objections to his election?

Lincoln questions whether the federal government is obligated to protect the expansion of slavery.

What three general time periods followed the Civil War?

Presidential Reconstruction, under Andrew Johnson, lasted from 1865-1866. Congressional, or Radical, Reconstruction lasted from 1867-1877. "Redemption," so-called by proponents of rollbacks on Reconstruction-era policies, lasted from 1877 into the 1890s.

border ruffians

Proslavery settlers from Missouri, disrupted early elections through fraudulent voting, cheating, and intimidation.

Bread Riots

Riots that occurred in the South in the Civil War as the blockade from the North decreased the amount of available food and increased food prices.

Anaconda Plan

The Northern strategy was known as the Anaconda Plan because it intended to choke the life out of the South by squeezing from all sides. The goal was to take control of the Mississippi, blockade the South by sea, and then, finally, capture the capital at Richmond.

Know-Nothing Party

These anti-immigrant feelings fueled the party, and they focused on reducing the rights and opportunities of immigrants. The most radical of its members feared that Catholics planned to take over the country and subject it to the Pope. The party had moderate success in the 1850s by taking control of several state governments, but they failed to achieve national prominence.

What were "Anti-Tom novels"?

These were books that presented slavery in a good light as a way to counteract the influence of Stowe's book.

How did anti-black and anti-Republican groups try to "redeem" the South from Reconstruction?

They considered acts of violence to remove blacks and Republicans to be redeeming.

On what issues did candidates Hayes and Tilden focus in the election of 1876?

They largely focused on issues of political corruption, civil service reform, and economic challenges and growth.

What impact did women have as nurses during the Civil War?

They volunteered in great numbers to help care for the wounded and dying soldiers. In light of the fact that disease killed more men than weapons did, the health care and nursing provided by volunteer nurses provided a service of immeasurable value.

Why did Radical Republicans object to Louisiana's readmission in 1864 despite Lincoln's support for the state?

They wanted Louisiana to first guarantee black suffrage.

What two goals did Southern Democrats have?

They wanted to ensure that black citizens had few rights, and they wanted to exclude blacks from all institutions of power.

According to the video, what were federal military forces doing in the South before the end of Reconstruction?

They were enforcing the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Panic of 1857

This banking crisis caused a devastating credit crunch in the North, but it was less severe in the South because high cotton prices spurred a quick recovery because of trade with England.

What facts would you use to support the following claim: "Of all the parts of the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act had the greatest impact on both whites and African Americans during the 1850s"?

The usage of the Underground Railroad increased, thousands of fugitive slaves moved north to Canada, white citizens were now forced to aid in the capture of runaway slaves or face punishment by law (fines), and Southern slave owners now had legal recourse to get their slaves returned to them.

Why did President Grant reinstate military control of Georgia in 1870?

The white majority in Georgia's legislature voted to expel its 27 African American representatives.

Was the Civil War fought to end slavery?

There are many perspectives on this question. For the Southern states that seceded, one of the major issues at hand was slavery. It was Lincoln's election—and his antislavery positions—that pushed them over the edge. For Lincoln, however, the war did not begin as a war about slavery. Rather, it was about preserving the Union. He would have accepted the continuation of slavery if it meant the Union was saved. However, as the war progressed, slavery came more and more to the forefront. Even with the Emancipation Proclamation, however, Lincoln's primary goal remained that of keeping the Union together. The Proclamation was perhaps as much a political and military strategy as it was a moral act.

How and why did sectionalism increase in the mid-1800s? Cite evidence from the lesson.

There are many reasons sectionalism increased in the mid-1800s. One factor was the growing sense that economic policies, such as tariffs, favored the North over the South. The industries of the North and South were clearly different, though they relied upon one another. Politicians and other individuals tended to identify with the economy of their region. Also, the railroad projects that were taking place in the North, using federal monies, further accentuated the sense of economic injustice between the regions. The biggest reason for increased sectionalism, however, was the increasingly heated debates over slavery. This issue divided the nation along distinctly sectional lines, and there were very strong feelings on both sides of the issue.

Radical Republicans.

Those who opposed Johnson's positions on Reconstruction and wanted more protections for black citizens and harsher terms for former Confederates. They also supported black suffrage

Terrorism refers to the use of extreme fear, often through violence or the threat of violence, to achieve a goal. How did the Klan use terror to control communities in the South? Based on what you have learned and read, do you think the Klan would have been considered a terrorist organization? Explain.

Yes, the Klan and organizations like it used terror, or extreme fear, through violence and the threat of violence to bring Reconstruction to an end. They threatened, attacked, and killed not only black citizens but Republican officials and party members and their supporters.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

a novel published by harriet beecher stowe in 1852 which portrayed slavery as brutal and immoral

John Brown

abolitionist vigilante, traveled to Kansas to help stop the pro-slavery movement. Seeking revenge against the border ruffians, Brown and his band raided a pro-slavery community at Potawatomie Creek

Republican Party

abolitionists, freesoilers, and other Northerners who were opposed to slavery. These factions came together in the 1854 elections as a new party

Who do you think got the better deal in the Compromise of 1850, the North or the South? Why?

benefits obtained by the North, such as California's admittance to the union as a free state, not expanding the territory of Texas, and the ban of the slave trade in Washington, D.C. It should also include reference to the benefits obtained by the South, especially the Fugitive Slave Act.

Jim Crow Segregation

crude measures to divest African Americans of the rights and liberties they had gained during Reconstruction.

Comprimise of 1850

designed to cool heated north-south tensions. calif. was admitted as a free state, texas got cash, but lost land, due to pop. sovereignty, new mexico and utah were open to slavery, and a fugitive slave law was strengthened. clearly, senate favored north

Militia Act of 1862

established pay for blacks to be at a laborer's rate as opposed to a soldier's. The soldiers of the Fifty-Fourth, white officers included, refused their pay until it was raised to the soldier's rate. These regiments soon showed their bravery in battle, however. The Fifty-Fourth lost half of its number at Fort Wagner, South Carolina, after requesting to be the first into combat, and the Fifty-Fifth rescued white soldiers in Louisiana and turned a losing battle into a victory. Those in power recognized that black soldiers were deserving of equal pay and raised their wages. By the end of the war, black soldiers were also allowed to serve as officers, and the army implemented policies to dismiss anyone who mistreated an African American soldier on the basis of race.

xenophobia

fear of foreigners

Liberty Party

founded in the 1830s, represented another approach to the issue of slavery. It actively pursued the entire abolition of slavery. It believed the way to pursue this goal was by active participation in the political system rather than extreme measures such as seceding from the union, as suggested by more radical abolitionists.

Free Soil Party

founded on the principles laid out in the 1846 Wilmot Proviso

California

free state

Maine

free state

popular sovereignty

letting each state decide for itself whether to ban or allow slavery. Southerners rallied to this idea because the entirety of the territory was above the line created by the Missouri Compromise of 1820, meaning the extension of slavery was not supposed to be possible there. Northerners were outraged because popular sovereignty would all but repeal the Missouri Compromise.

Erie Canal

major dividing force between North and South; resultant trade network that began to rival and eventually surpass that of the Mississippi River. The economic influence of the Southern states along the Mississippi River began to diminish as Midwesterners now preferred to trade their goods in the North through the Erie Canal.

Identify contributing factors to sectional tensions, including economic disparity and nativist sentiment

the development of new transportation and trade systems, the Panic of 1857, the role of industry in the North and cotton production in the South, and the political issues that seemed to favor the North over the South. The influx of immigrants should also be discussed, along with the nativist response to that trend.

Describe the weakening of the two-party system and the organization of new parties around pivotal issues

the end of the Whig Party as well as the rise of the Republican Party and the short-lived Know-Nothing Party.

Summarize the arguments of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and identify their significance

the positions taken by Lincoln and Douglas concerning slavery, including especially Douglas's concept of popular sovereignty and a discussion of Lincoln's relation to abolitionism. These debates should also be placed in the context of the nation at large, and it should be shown how the debates represent the national division of opinion.

Use the excerpt from the Declaration of Principles issued by the Republican National Convention to answer the question. Which of the following is implied as a part of history that "has fully established the propriety and necessity of the organization and perpetuation of the Republican party" according to the passage?

the violent conflicts in Kansas

Missouri Compromise

"Compromise of 1820" over the issue of slavery in Missouri. It was decided Missouri entered as a slave state and Maine entered as a free state and all states North of the 36th parallel were free states and all South were slave states.

How did public opinion and support for the war fluctuate in the North during the years of war?

Though it seems that the majority of people in the North supported the cause of the war, that support was far from unanimous, especially as the war dragged on and the death toll mounted. The initial outrage when the South seceded and then later attacked American forces soon gave way to discouragement and even sometimes quite vocal dissent. Many Democrats began to clamor for peace to be made with the South. There were protests and riots in demonstration of dissatisfaction with leadership, especially in violent reaction against the draft. However, as the North finally began to assert itself in the later stages of the war, the public began to support the cause again.

Why was the election of 1876 contested?

Tilden won the popular vote, but Republican election boards in three states tossed out enough votes to give Hayes their electoral votes, so Hayes won the national electoral vote. The Democrats contested this action.

nativism

anti-immigrant sentiment, and the related growth of anti-Catholic feeling. Partly due to the economic competition and partly due to the religious prejudice, hostility toward immigrants reached a boiling point.

Missouri

wanted to be a slave state

freesoiler

who opposed the spread of slavery into the territories immediately allied with abolitionists to oppose this plan

Why were Know-Nothings concerned about the effect of Catholic immigration on public schools?

Catholics openly protested the use of their tax dollars to pay for public schools that advocated Protestant principles. Know-Nothings felt that this undermined the public school system.

Battle of Antietam

Civil War battle in which the North succeeded in halting Lee's Confederate forces in Maryland. Was the bloodiest battle of the war resulting in 25,000 casualties

How did President Lincoln greet Stowe when he met her in 1862?

He said, "So you are the little woman that wrote the book that started this great war."

How does Mr. Gooding view the Klan, and what reason does he give? What assumption does he make in this reasoning?

He says the Klan was necessary because it helped rein in undesirable behavior, generally, by getting rid of people, like poor blacks and whites considered undesirable. His reasoning assumes that the Klan targeted people because of their poverty and other behaviors; it does not acknowledge race as a contributing factor. His reasoning also assumes that the Klan were correct in targeting specific individuals, that those people must have been guilty of some offense.

What step toward Reconstruction did Lincoln take in March 1865? How did that step benefit African Americans?

He signed a bill creating the Freedmen's Bureau. The Freedmen's Bureau provided social, educational, and economic services to black citizens. It also gave black citizens advice and helped provide protection for them.

If you evaluated Lincoln's position on slavery based on his words during this series of debates, how would you describe that position?

Taken alone, the "House Divided" speech would perhaps suggest that Lincoln was determined to put an end to slavery throughout the nation. However, his explanations of his position elsewhere do not seem to indicate this was the case. He promised he would protect the South's rights, apparently including the right to slavery, and enforce the Fugitive Slave Act. He said he was, however, determined not to let slavery spread to new territories. In light of these words, it seems that his "House Divided" speech was more of a prediction of what he believed would eventually happen in the nation rather than a promise of what he would attempt to bring about.

How did the KKK change or maintain the cultural landscape of the antebellum South?

The KKK largely aimed to stop change in the cultural landscape of the South. It wanted to roll back freedoms granted African Americans and stop the influx of Northerners.

What actions did it take to achieve these goals?

The Klan assassinated Reconstruction officials as well as teachers in black schools and black citizens. They also threatened and attacked people.

What specific goals did the Klan have?

The Klan sought to end Reconstruction and return the South to white rule.

What other organizations took similar actions to achieve similar ends?

The Knights of the White Camellia and White Line groups also persecuted and attacked blacks and pro-Reconstruction individuals.

Which candidate did the Know-Nothing Party back in the 1856 election?

The Know-Nothing Party backed Millard Fillmore for president.

How did the ruling in United States v. Cruikshank further damage Reconstruction efforts?

The Supreme Court ruled that protecting the rights of individuals was the responsibility of state government, not federal government. This empowered states over the federal government in matters of civil rights.

The five parts of the Compromise of 1850 were:

California would be admitted to the United States as a free state. The slave trade would be abolished in Washington, D.C., but slavery would still be allowed. Areas acquired by the Mexican Cession would address the slavery issue through popular sovereignty. The border dispute between Texas and New Mexico was settled. A strict Fugitive Slave Act was enacted and enforced.

Second Party System

Democrats and Whigs

What argument did Stephen Douglas make in response to Lincoln's "House Divided" speech?

Douglas responded with the assertion that the nation could certainly endure even if the states had different positions on slavery. The founders of the nation, he argued, designed a nation where the states could differ on issues and still coexist prosperously.

Why was Homer Plessy arrested? How did his court case uphold the legality of segregation and other Jim Crow laws that seemed to violate the Fourteenth Amendment?

Plessy was arrested for sitting in the white compartment of a segregated train. His case went to the Supreme Court. In the ruling for Plessy v. Ferguson, the majority decided that it was OK to segregate public spaces as long as the accommodations were equal. This became known as "separate but equal."

High Protective Tariffs

North supported, South against because they relied heavily on foreign imports

Who won the Battle of Gettysburg?

Union victory

Kansas-Nebraska Act

1854 - Created Nebraska and Kansas as states and gave the people in those territories the right to chose to be a free or slave state through popular sovereignty.

Wade-Davis Bill

1864 Proposed far more demanding and stringent terms for reconstruction; required 50% of the voters of a state to take the loyalty oath and permitted only non-confederates to vote for a new state constitution; Lincoln refused to sign the bill, pocket vetoing it after Congress adjourned.

How did the location of the early battles of the war favor the South?

As the map shows, the early battles of the war were fought in Confederate territory. This gave the South the advantage because the battles were fought in areas they knew well. They would also have had the support of local residents. Additionally, the Union army had to march much farther, thus tiring their men and using resources.

How did new industries, trade networks, and modes of transportation change relationships among geographic regions in the United States?

As the nation debated political issues, it was also expanding westward, and its economy was evolving and maturing. Systems of transportation were particularly important, and two significant developments were the building of the Erie Canal and plans for a transcontinental railroad. These key pieces of infrastructure helped the North gain more political and economic power. Trade networks were drastically altered by these new transportation options, and much trade that had previously gone through the South now supported the economy of the North. The South was not pleased with these developments, naturally, and tension increased, especially as the South felt the government's policies in these matters favored the North.

Which side had the advantages in the early stages of the Civil War?

As the war began, many expected a quick victory for the North. They had a vastly superior manufacturing capability, a far greater population, an organized government, a better navy, and an advantage in infrastructure. However, many of these advantages took time to bear their influence on the war. Initially, the South had a great advantage in military leadership, and this proved very important. Their general population also was more suited to the rigors of war and were able to adapt to military life more readily. Further, they were fighting the early battles on home territory and only had to hold off the attacks of the North rather than invade enemy land. These advantages gave the South a surprising amount of initial success in the war. Though the North still had the advantages that were likely to win out in a long war, the South's early success made the outcome appear in doubt in the early stages.

Was it fair for the border states who remained in the Union to be allowed to keep their slaves?

At this point, Lincoln had consistently asserted that the North would not fight a war about slavery. His goal was the preservation of the Union. Even from his inauguration, he had declared that he had no intentions of removing slavery from the states where it was already established. Had the Southern states remained in the Union, they would have continued to have slavery. On this basis, why would the states that stayed loyal to the Union be required to end slavery? Though the issue of slavery would eventually be addressed with a different tone, Lincoln was perfectly consistent at this time in allowing the Northern border states to continue their practice of slavery.

Study the image on page 449. What does this engraving suggest about the role of the Freedmen's Bureau?

It shows that the Freedmen's Bureau took an active part in black citizens' as well as white citizens' lives in the South. Its goals were to foster peace and progress and to help avoid further conflict and hardship.

How did the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act complete the process of dividing the country between free and slave states?

Both the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act were attempts to resolve the political tensions regarding the introduction of new states as either free states or slave states. Neither compromise did so effectively, however. By admitting California as a free state, the Compromise of 1850 kept a temporary balance between the number of free states and the number of slave states, but the other terms of the agreement left both sides dissatisfied over the issue as a whole. The Kansas-Nebraska Act angered most Northerners by repealing the Missouri Compromise, and it also led to violent conflict in Kansas Territory as pro- and antislavery settlers fought for control of the state.

Who were carpetbaggers and scalawags?

Carpetbaggers were Northerners who came south to help with Reconstruction. Many were abolitionists. Some came to take advantage of new opportunities. Others engaged in politics. Scalawags were Southerners who supported Republican policies like equal rights for blacks.

Battle of Shiloh

Confederate forces suprised union troops & drove them across the Tennesee river; union got backup and won the battle but it was one of the most bloody battles in the civil war

What did Congress create in 1870, and why?

Congress created the U.S. Department of Justice to enforce Reconstruction.

How did Congress expand federal control over hate crime? How successful were their measures?

Congress passed a series of laws to uphold Reconstruction amendments, to prevent and punish violent acts, and to expand federal powers in the South.

David Wilmot

Congressional author of resolution forbidding slavery in territory acquired from Mexico

How did the Wilmot Proviso influence party politics in the 1840s and 1850s?

It increased the political tension over the expansion of slavery and provided the basis for the Free Soil Party, which believed that the western territories of the United States should not be open to slavery because it was not economically beneficial or morally responsible.

Lincoln (Republican Party)

Embodied principles of freesoilers

Confederate Strategy

Fight a defensive war and tire the north out and make them want to give up. The south was also hoping to get assistance from European Nations, such as France and Great Britain the relied on the import of cotton from the Southern States.

First Battle of Bull Run

First "real" battle of the Civil War, it was expected by Union officials to be short but ended up a Confederate victory

How did the Missouri Compromise maintain a balance in Congress?

It maintained a balance by adding both a slave state and a free state at the same time, in this case Maine and Missouri, meaning that the Senate would still have an equal number of pro-slavery and anti-slavery members.

How did the issue of blacks in the army demonstrate potential challenges that society at large might face as the slave population became free?

Gaining legal freedom was one thing, but integrating into society on an equal footing with the white population proved to be another. Even in the North, where most blacks were free, racial perspectives still led the army to view blacks as having a lesser role than whites. Black soldiers had to overcome those perspectives, and the same would prove true in society at large. It took time and hard work for blacks to win acceptance on an equal footing in society even after freedom was legally theirs. In the South, this was an extremely difficult challenge.

Use the excerpt from the Gettysburg Address to answer the question. Lincoln cites "unfinished work" in the address. How did he attempt to finish that work in the wake of these events?

He put Grant in command of Union forces and charged him with pursuing and defeating Lee's army.

Why do you think Mr. Gooding didn't object to the use of his horse?

I think he didn't object because he supported what the Klan were doing, or that he might say that he did. However, I think really he didn't object out of fear. He did not want to be targeted.

What caused the violence in Memphis in 1866 and in Louisiana in 1873?

In Memphis, violence broke out after two carriages—one driven by a black man and one by a white man—collided. Violence broke out in Louisiana in 1873 over an election dispute in which the federal government backed the voters who elected a Republican governor and sent troops into the state.

Pottawatomie Creek Massacre

In reaction to the sacking of Lawrence (Kansas) by pro-slavery forces, John Brown and a band of abolitionist settlers killed five pro-slavery settlers north of Pottawatomie Creek in Franklin County, Kansas.

Was Lincoln to blame for the Civil War? Why or why not?

Lincoln was not to blame for the Civil War. His primary contribution to bringing the war about was simply to be elected as president after taking a strong stand against the expansion of slavery into new territories. The forces that led to the Civil War had been at work for a long time and were far larger than any one man. Lincoln actually made strong and apparently sincere efforts to take a conciliatory approach with the South. He promised not to interfere with slavery in their states. He described them all as brothers and fellow countrymen who shared a sacred bond of history and heritage. He also avoided taking measures that would include violence during the episode with Fort Sumter, and it is the South who initiated war at that point. Lincoln could have relinquished the fort and also acknowledged the secession of the South as valid, but such actions would have violated both his own beliefs as well as those of the majority of the North.

Explain the basic idea of Lincoln's "House Divided" speech. How does it relate to the Dred Scott case and the Crittenden Compromise? How does it relate to the overall national feeling of the time and the eventual start of the Civil War?

Lincoln's "House Divided" speech argued that the nation could not continue to exist in such a divided state as it was. The nation would either fall, which he did not predict, or it would find uniformity across the nation regarding slavery. Thus, slavery must either be outlawed in all parts of the nation, or slavery must become legal in all parts of the nation. The decision of the Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case affirmed this idea. It declared that blacks were property and as such must be treated according to property rights in all parts of the nation. This opened the door for slavery to be expanded into the new territories of the nation and, indeed, into the Northern states themselves. This caused significant alarm in the North, and many began to feel that slavery must be ended throughout the country before the South attempted to expand it into all the country. The Crittenden Compromise was an effort to take a position quite contrary to this idea. It sought to reestablish a firm, geographical dividing line between free states and slave states. The nation had lived with this type of division for decades, but it was proving more and more difficult. Such a compromise failed to find support as the nation's leaders had largely come to feel that the issues must be settled entirely in favor of one side or the other. It was this perspective and the corresponding strength of feeling about it that made compromise impossible and eventually resulted in the Civil War.

How did Lincoln's evolving ideas about slavery help launch his national political career?

Lincoln's anger about the possible extension of slavery into new territories was the motivating force that prompted him to pursue political influence at a national level. His views were moderate enough to appeal to a sizeable segment of voters (he was not an abolitionist at the time), but his increasingly strong opposition to slavery resonated with voters and their own increasing opposition to slavery.

Do you think Lincoln, especially in the Emancipation Proclamation, handled the issue of slavery appropriately?Do you think Lincoln, especially in the Emancipation Proclamation, handled the issue of slavery appropriately?

Many elements of the proclamation demonstrate Lincoln's wisdom and skill in dealing with such a difficult issue as slavery. The idealist, both the abolitionist of Lincoln's time and the modern-day historian, would certainly like Lincoln to have put a more abrupt and dramatic end to slavery than he did. However, if he had been more radical and sought to end slavery in all places immediately, the result might have been extremely chaotic. The war and the subsequent history of the nation would very possible have been radically different. There is no doubt that slavery forms a dark chapter in America's history, but it seems that Lincoln handled it in perhaps the best way he possibly could at that time.

In what instances did General McClellan show a habit of not moving quickly enough for Lincoln's liking? Do you agree with Lincoln's attitude about the matter? Why?

McClellan, and other generals, did not press the fight to the Confederates as vigorously as Lincoln wanted. One instance of this was in McClellan's Peninsular Campaign. He had a large army that was in good position to attempt to capture Richmond, but he advanced very slowly and was not able to press his advantage. Later, in the aftermath of the Battle of Antietam, as Lee withdrew into Virginia, McClellan did not pursue, which was the final straw for Lincoln. Though there were understandable reasons to be hesitant to fight with such great loss of life, there were certainly key moments at which a more aggressive attitude may have ended the war more quickly and thus saved many lives in the end. On the other hand, it is possible that a patient approach is the only one that would enable victory in the end.

How did Radical Republicans differ from more moderate Republicans?

Moderate Republicans were more focused on the process of reuniting the nation and less focused on protections for African Americans. Radical Republicans wanted to extend not only freedom to formerly enslaved persons, but also suffrage and the right to hold office. They also wanted to provide former slaves with land of their own.

Were racial tensions just a Southern issue in the late 1800s? Explain.

No, racial tensions and ideas about social hierarchy among the races spread across American society. As more immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe came to the country, ideas about race and the differences among races shifted and spread.

What were the different views of Northerners and Southerners in the context of westward expansion?

Northerners believed in the expansion of industrial or agricultural opportunity, while Southerners believed it was a gateway to having the West be open to slavery.

How had the Klan effectively been destroyed, as an organization, by 1872?

President Grant had sent federal troops to arrest hundreds of Klan members and leaders in several Southern states.

What did General Philip Sheridan report about Louisiana in 1875?

Sheridan documented that at least 2,141 black citizens had been murdered and at least 2,115 black citizens wounded in the state since the end of the Civil War.

How is a war to end slavery different from a war to preserve the Union?

Should the North allow the South to depart from the Union, or should they take up arms to stop them by force and make them stay in the Union? This was a very important question, and not everyone agreed on the answer. However, most of the North agreed that they should fight for such a cause. On the other hand, when the question is changed to whether the nation should fight a war with a different goal, that of ending slavery, opinions and feelings would change yet again. Some of those who were in favor of a war to save the Union would have been against a war to end slavery. On the other hand, there were also strong abolitionists who thought the war was only justifiable if it had the moral goal of ending slavery. The decision to bring emancipation to the forefront would have had a strong impact on public opinion. Additionally, what impact would this difference have had on the army and its strategy? If the army had a goal of freeing slaves, its tactics would change. They would also have needed to prepare for having to manage the freed slave population. Would it also have had an impact on the morale of the soldiers themselves? How would they feel about risking their lives to free the slaves? As with the general population of the North, the soldiers might not all have felt the same about such a change of focus.

Why did some in the civil rights movement of the twentieth century reject certain aspects of Stowe's book?

Some believed that the caricatures in the novel perpetuated gross generalizations about African Americans.

How did the Compromise of 1877 signal the end of Reconstruction?

Southern Democrats agreed to let the official electoral vote count go through in exchange for Hayes promising to end Reconstruction by withdrawing military troops from the South when he took office as president.

Was the outbreak of Civil War inevitable? Why or why not?

The Civil War was not inevitable. It was the result of strong feelings on both sides, fears that may have been unfounded, and efforts to force reform on groups that were unwilling. In the North, the strong abolitionist sentiment had been growing for some time. Many, though far from all, began to feel that slavery must be radically addressed and were even willing to accept violence and war if necessary. They believed that the South should be forced to release their slaves. Though this group was likely still the minority, it was a vocal minority and did have broad influence. It also led the South to fear that the North would force them to change their longstanding way of life. These fears may or may not have been well founded, but they came to the fore when Lincoln was elected. According to Lincoln's words, he had no intentions of attempting to end slavery in the South, but the South did not believe that to be true. They believed the long-term goal of the North was to end slavery. Lincoln certainly spoke more strongly about not allowing slavery in the territories than had other presidents, but if his words are taken at face value, he did not plan to do more than that about slavery. If his stated plans had been heeded, the South would not have needed to secede. However, the South would have to accept that slavery would not be extended into the territories, and likewise, the strongest abolitionists in the North would have to be patient and not call for force in its desire to see slavery ended in the South. Other nations had been able to address the hotly debated issue of slavery without recourse to a civil war, so why would the United States not also be able to do so?

How did the Compromise of 1850 amplify the threat of disunion?

The Compromise of 1850 pacified the nation for only a short time. In the end, neither the North nor the South was truly happy with the agreement, and both sides grew increasingly agitated and bitter about the state of affairs. The unsatisfactory compromise actually helped build greater animosity that led the country toward eventual disunion.

What conclusions can you come to about the economics of the 1850s with regard to the trade tariffs?

The trade tariffs benefited the North. The South did not benefit as much as the North from the trade tariffs. The trade tariffs created a greater conflict between the North and South.

What practical impact did the Emancipation Proclamation have?

The Emancipation Proclamation did not have any immediate impact in terms of setting slaves free. The slaves that were in Union states were not granted freedom by the proclamation. The slaves that were in Southern states were certainly not recognized as free by their owners. However, the proclamation did encourage Southern slaves to seek their freedom, and it also gave Union forces the directive to set slaves free and protect them while in Southern territory.

What do the excerpt and the image tell you about the tactics used by the Klan and how those tactics affected communities?

The excerpt shows that the Klan used fear and intimidation to achieve their goals. It also suggests that they operated as a group but in secret, beneath masks and hoods. I think the statement from Mr. Gooding shows that the Klan's tactics were somewhat effective in scaring people away but also went beyond removing "undesirables" and created a climate of fear in the South.

What were the Slaughterhouse Cases of 1873?

The Slaughterhouse Cases were a set of rulings in which the Supreme Court limited the interpretation of what constituted protected equal rights under the Fourteenth Amendment.

How did naval strategies impact the early stages of the war?

The South was deeply reliant on its merchant marine for trade and commerce. One of the key elements of the North's strategy was to restrict that trade by the use of its sea blockade. This effective blockade amplified the difference in resources between North and South and put the South at a severe disadvantage. Though the South was initially winning the land battle, the North's naval strategy positioned it well for the lengthy war that followed.

Why might that have led to the rise of Jim Crow laws in the South?

The federal troops were no longer there to uphold Reconstruction reforms and the Fourteenth Amendment. They could not protect Republican officials or black citizens or ensure that Southern states followed the intent of Reconstruction.

Why did the Know-Nothing Party oppose followers of the Catholic Church?

The United States had been a largely Protestant country from its founding. The large influx of Catholic immigrants unnerved many Protestants in the country. More importantly, the Know-Nothings felt that the Catholics would be more loyal to the Pope than the republic.

Use the "Treason" broadside to answer the question. How does the text of this notice reflect the author's perspective in the context of great national division and controversy?

The author is clearly a strong abolitionist whose religious beliefs are tied to his belief that violent ends are justified to bring about freedom for enslaved blacks.

How did the war activities impact the home front of both the North and South?

The citizens remaining at home during the war suffered hardship in many ways. In the South especially, there was strong economic difficulty that resulted from so many resources being consumed by the war effort. There was severe inflation and the infrastructure of the region was disrupted by the violence of war. The result was often a shortage of basic goods. Families had to cope without most of their able-bodied men. In the North, there were also economic struggles, though they were not as severe. They faced the same problem of missing their men, and nearly every family was affected by loss and tragedy during the war.

Do you think that young children should have been allowed to participate in the war in the way that they were?

The death of children and the horrors the children who were not on the battlefield saw is one of the starkest tragedies of the Civil War. Adult men and women take the risk of fighting upon themselves as much as possible, but children should not have been allowed to do this. Then there are jobs like helping clean and make camp that were seen at the time as a safe and reasonable way that boys could contribute to a noble cause. But with disease and the rigors of travel, how safe were these jobs? Certainly, asking boys to enter the battle field as drummers or messengers, for example, is quite different from asking them to be soldiers. But overall, the inherent risk in any involvement was too much for children.

How did the Panic of 1873 affect conditions in the South?

The economic downturn in 1873 probably hastened the end of Reconstruction and helped the rise of Jim Crow because there wasn't enough money to invest in Reconstruction efforts or efforts to uphold Reconstruction laws. Scarcity and poverty probably worsened race relations as well.

How did the election of 1860 reveal the division of the nation, and how did Lincoln's election further divide the North and South and push them to the brink of civil war?

The election of 1860 revealed how divided the nation was. The Democratic Party, for example, could not even agree on a single candidate and eventually split into Northern and Southern factions that each nominated their own candidate. The Republican Party had almost no support in the South and was even despised to the point that it would have been dangerous for Lincoln to campaign there. Even within the North and the South, there was not unified support for a single candidate. Both regions witnessed tense debates among candidates representing different perspectives, especially on the issue of slavery. All were aware of the possibility of division between the North and the South, and each campaign had to answer the question of how the Union was to be preserved. When Lincoln was eventually elected, the South saw it as a sign that their voice had no power in determining the course of the nation. They also saw Lincoln as a threat to their basic way of life, and many in the South were firmly decided that they could be a part of a nation under those circumstances.

Army of the Potomac

The main Union army for the duration of the war.

How did the Lincoln-Douglas debates foreshadow the coming conflict between North and South?

The main focus of the debates was the political solution to the question of slavery. This was the matter that was dividing the nation as a whole. Lincoln and Douglas represented the two main camps of thought about how to resolve the matter. Douglas was a proponent of allowing each state to decide the matter for itself, whereas Lincoln was determined to block any further expansion of slavery into new territory, and he at times expressed the belief that the nation could not endure in its divided state. However, despite Lincoln's efforts to take a more moderate position, Douglas continued to paint Lincoln and his party as the "abolitionist party." This reflects the lack of understanding and confidence between the two sides of the debate, and of the nation. The South did not trust the promises of Lincoln and his party, believing that they were determined to forcibly bring about the end of slavery.

Study the image on page 467. What two purposes do you think the attire of the Klan members serves?

The masks and hoods hide the individuals' identities, but they also serve to intimidate people because they're frightening.

Why did the South struggle more than the North on the home front during the war?

The nascent government of the Confederacy struggled with the financial aspects of the war. It did not have established institutions to guide an independent economy, its new currency was not recognized internationally, and most wealth was tied up in land and property that was not easily converted to cash. The women were also more likely to be dependent on men in Southern society and struggled at first with the duties that fell their way during the war. Also, the North's strategy of blockade and the disruption of their infrastructure further hindered the South's economy. The result was a great financial struggle against the shortages of food and goods.

What was the significance of the name "Know-Nothing"?

The party began as a secret organization and members were expected to respond that they "knew nothing" when asked about their affiliation.

How did the KKK contribute to the polarization and sectional alignment of political parties in the late nineteenth century?

The purpose and membership of the Klan was itself polarizing as it sought to unite white Americans against non-white Americans and to restrict or end the freedoms and rights of non-whites. Its purpose was to promote white supremacy, and it did so by supporting Southern Democratic candidates and policies and persecuting and even killing Republicans and Republican sympathizers as well as blacks in general, who served to benefit from Republican governance.

How do you think the provisions allowing for hiring substitutes for the draft might have impacted public opinion about the war?

The regulations of both sides allowed for individuals to be exempted from their draft duties by sending or hiring a substitute in their place. This provided further ammunition for criticism and negativity from those who were already against the war. The less affluent who could not afford to hire a replacement saw the provisions as unjust. This was one further cause of division in an already tense atmosphere.

How did federal interventions in the South backfire?

The size, frequency, and nature of the interventions caused some people to question them and led to a decline in support.

Ten Percent Plan

Under that plan, to rejoin the Union, 10 percent of a state's eligible voters were required to take an oath of allegiance to the United States, and the state had to abolish slavery.

Why did Reconstruction end in Mississippi in 1875?

Vigilantes in Mississippi attacked Republican gatherings and killed many people and forced officials to flee. Armed whites and Democratic sentries also intimidated and attacked black and other Republican voters on election day, keeping them away from the polls, so Democrats swept the ballot. They forced the Republican governor to leave the state before his term ended.

How did Lincoln's position on slavery and abolition change throughout his time as president?

When Lincoln campaigned for the presidency, he made it clear that he did not intend to interfere with slavery in the South. He wanted to prevent the spread of slavery into new territories, but he believed he did not have the legal authority to address the laws of the Southern states regarding slavery. When the South seceded, however, and war came to the nation, things began to change. The war necessarily focused in large part on the question of slavery, and many slaves from the South fled to take refuge with Union forces. As it became necessary for Lincoln to provide the Union with a clear position regarding slaves in the South, it also became apparent that the South would be severely weakened by the loss of their slaves, thereby helping the North's cause in the war. It had also been suggested to Lincoln that wartime brought greater authority to the president than he had under normal conditions. In light of the crisis, Lincoln determined that issuing the Emancipation Proclamation was both justifiable and a wise decision to help the cause of the Union.

How did women and children contribute to the war efforts?

With most men enlisting in the army, women and children had to take up the mantle of leadership and responsibility at home. This was quite a change of affairs, especially in the South. They had to maintain homes and manage estates, making many decisions that men would normally have taken care of. Additionally, many women wanted to contribute more directly to the war cause. They did so through the avenues of nursing and health care, which became especially important work in the context of a war where disease killed many men. Women also sometimes acted as spies or even disguised themselves as men to be a part of the fighting forces. Children, too, found a place in army camps. They sometimes served in cleaning, cooking, and general helping roles. They also acted as drummer boys or messengers.

How might ironclad ships have been used differently to impact the direction of the war in favor of the South?

With the naval aspects being so important to the strategy of the war, the South perhaps could have used the ironclads to be more aggressive against the North's restrictive blockade. If they had been able to break the blockade more effectively, they would have had greater ability to acquire supplies (a major factor the longer the war went on) and maneuver.

Fugitive Slave Act

his master could enter a free state and collect his slave with the support of local and federal authorities. This reality angered abolitionists across the country. In Boston specifically, riots broke out as angry abolitionists demanded the repeal of the Fugitive Slave Act. put all fugitive slaves under the jurisdiction of federal law, and it denied captured fugitives who claimed to be freedmen the right to a trial by jury. This was devastating to formerly enslaved people living in the North because they did not have the means to legally prove their freedom if they were captured. As a result, many runaways living in the North were captured and returned to the South, and to slavery. A second ancillary impact was that the popularity and usage of the Underground Railroad increased in the decade following the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act.

Do you believe that the Civil War could have been avoided if someone other than Lincoln had been elected president in the election of 1860? Provide evidence for your argument.

if someone other than Lincoln had been elected, the South would not have felt immediately pressured to secede. It was Lincoln's election that prompted the uproar in South Carolina that led to secession. With a different president, they would likely have been willing to continue within the Union, and a civil war would not immediately have taken place. However, the issues dividing the North and South, mainly slavery, had to be dealt with at some point. The South was extremely fearful of any effort to limit slavery, and it actively fought for its expansion into the territories, as illustrated in the Bleeding Kansas episode and the series of compromises through the decades preceding the Civil War. On the other hand, the sentiment in the North was moving increasingly toward the view of the need for slavery to be abolished entirely, or at least toward a firm position that it must not be expanded into the territories on any conditions. The staunch positions of the two sides were not likely to change immediately, and continued difficulties would likely have characterized political events from this point forward. Eventually, it is likely that social pressures toward reform and liberty would have softened the position of the South toward slavery, as had been the case previously in other countries such as England, but it would not have been a short or easy process. The North would have had to be willing to wait patiently for this process to bear fruit. If they would have been willing to have such patience, which the strong abolitionist sentiment fought against, civil war could have been avoided.