Download 3.2b

The Civil War And
Reconstruction
3.2b
• Summarize the course of the Civil
War and its impact on democracy,
including the major turning points;
the impact of the Emancipation
Proclamation; the unequal
treatment afforded to AfricanAmerican military units; the
geographic , political , and
economic factors involved in the
defeat of the Confederacy; and the
ultimate defeat of the idea of
secession.
The Emancipation
Proclamation
• Lincoln demonstrated his political skill by his handling of
the issue of emancipation of slaves.
• Lincoln initially hesitated to free the slaves because he
feared this would undermine the unity of the North.
• ***When emancipation was announced it was promoted
as a military measure against the South.
• However, the Emancipation Proclamation was a
political and diplomatic document.
• ***Saw slavery as a “weapon of war”
• By making a goal of the war the liberation of slaves,
Lincoln made it impossible for the British, whose
population was strongly opposed to slavery, to continue
to support the Southern states.
• ***By announcing his attention to issue the Proclamation
in the fall and not making it effective until the 1st of the
year he gave the South one last chance to make peace.
The Emancipation
Proclamation
• ***The Emancipation Proclamation did
not immediately free any slaves.
• It did not attempt to free slaves in
regions under Union control.
• Only states in rebellion on January 1,
1863 were commanded to free their
slaves and Confederates were not
likely to obey the President of the
United States.
• Slaves were freed as their homeland
was captured by Union forces or as
they fled toward the Union Army.
The first reading of the
Emancipation Proclamation
Gettysburg (July 1-4,
1863)
• Lee had again invaded the North
• General Meade followed his army
and they met near Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania
• Lee was defeated so badly that he
was never able to take the offensive
again.
• Lincoln issues his famous
Gettysburg Address.
The Battle of Vicksburg, May 15th
to July 4th, 1863
• Vicksburg was the last Confederate strong
point on the Mississippi and Lincoln knew
it was one of the keys to winning the war.
• After several aborted attacks Grant and his
soldiers laid siege to the city.
• The town finally surrendered on July 4th,
1863 because they were starving and had
been reduced to eating horses, dogs and
rats.
• The victory gave the Union control
over the Mississippi River.
Sherman’s March
• General Grant became head of Union armies and
changed the Union strategy to ‘total war.”
• Grant placed William T. Sherman in command of the
western armies and orders him to march from
Tennessee to Savannah, Georgia.
• During this famous march to the sea
Sherman and his men destroyed
everything. Civilians homes and
businesses were burned making this
the first modern war.
• He stopped in Atlanta, Georgia and when he left he
burned the city.
• He also stopped and burned much of Columbia,
S.C.
African-Americans and
the war
• As you know the Emancipation
Proclamation made it possible for AfricanAmericans to serve in the U.S. army and
navy.
• Many did so gallantly.
• However, they served in segregated units
and served under white officers.
• They were poorly supplied and paid less
than their white counterparts.
• The most famous Unit was the 54th
Massachusetts Regiment made famous by
the movie Glory. (courageous assault on
Ft. Wagner near Charleston)
• Over 100,000 blacks served in the Union
Army.
Col. Shaw
Veterans Day March of
the 54th
The Election of 1864
• By 1864 many people were tired of
the war and the killing.
• The Democratic Party nominated
former General George B. McClellan
to run against Lincoln.
• His platform included a negotiated
peace with the south that would
allow slavery to survive.
• Before the election Sherman
captured Atlanta and signaled that
the Union victory was in reach
assuring Lincoln’s re-election.
Union Victory-Lincoln finds
the right general
• Grant takes command and begins a non-stop assault on
Lee. Grant changes from the Anaconda Plan to the idea
of “total war”
• Grant is often called the butcher because he lost 65,000
men in just two months.
• However, Grant could afford the loses because of
overwhelming numbers. Lee could not and kept
retreating.
• Eventually Lee and his army were surround near
Richmond, Virginia.
• When Lee tried to escape he was caught in the open by
Grant’s forces and decided to surrender.
• The Surrender document was signed on April 9th, 1865 at
Appomattox Courthouse.
• The war was essentially over.