Download Chapter 17 Section 1 “The Conflict Takes Shape”

Chapter 17 Section 1
“The Conflict Takes Shape”
Misconceptions About the War
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Both sides felt that their cause
was just. The south believed that
the north was trampling on its
rights. The north felt that the
south had no right to leave the
union. Each side, though, thought
that the war would only last a few
weeks at the longest.
In the beginning of the war,
abolishing slavery was not a goal
of the north.
As the war began, the question
became which states would
secede. Eight states had already
seceded, but there were eight left.
Virginia, North Carolina,
Tennessee and Arkansas all
joined the Confederacy (the
south). Kentucky, Missouri,
Maryland and Delaware were
southern states that sided with the
union (the north).
Southern Advantages &
Disadvantages
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Each side in the Civil War had its
strengths and weaknesses. A big
advantage for the South was that
it was going to be fighting a
defensive war. This means that
the south got to wait for the north
to come to them. Another
advantage is that southerners
knew their land very well. They
knew good places to hide and set
up forts.
The South, however, also had
some disadvantages in the war.
The south had few factories to
produce weapons and other vital
supplies. It also had few
railroads to move troops and
supplies. Also, the south had a
much smaller population than the
north. The southern population
was about 9 million to the northern
22 million, and many counted in
the southern population were
slaves.
Northern Advantages &
Disadvantages
• The north had advantages and
disadvantages as well. The
north had almost four times as
many free citizens as the
south. They had many
factories that could make their
supplies. The north also had
the majority of the railroad
lines. The north also had a
strong Navy.
• The north had two big
disadvantages. They were
going to have to go and attack
the south. This would mean
fighting a war in a land that
northerners were not familiar
with. Also, the north, at times,
had poor military leadership.
Take Me To Your Leader
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Many people thought the southern
president, Jefferson Davis, would
be a better leader than Lincoln
because he had more military
experience. Lincoln, though,
would prove himself time and time
again as more than capable to do
the job.
Lincoln offered command of the
Union Army to a Virginian named
Robert E. Lee. Lee refused when
Virginia seceded from the union.
Instead, Robert E. Lee became
the leader of the Confederate
Army. Many of the army’s best
officers served the Confederacy.
As a result, President Lincoln had
trouble finding generals to match
those of the South.