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Civil War Study Guide
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Short answers – Answer the following questions on complete sentences on a separate piece of
paper in 2-3 sentences a piece.
Preparing for War
1. Compare and contrast the Union and the Confederacy. Give at least two similarities and
two differences between the two sides.
The Union and the Confederacy had many
similarities and differences. Both used railroads for
shipping and were fighting for a cause they believed
in. Two differences are that the Union had more
powerful railroads and the Confederates had more
of their people enlist in their military.
2. Compare and contrast Abe Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Give at least two similarities and
two differences between the two men.
Abe Lincoln and Jefferson Davis had many
similarities and differences between each other.
Both men were born in Kentucky and were involved
in similar military events before becoming
Presidents (such as the Black Hawk War).
Differences between the two men were that Lincoln
was largely self-educated, and that Jefferson Davis
was able to live long after the Civil War.
3. List examples of weapons used in the Civil War and describe which sides specialized in
them – as well as why they were used.
Weapons were crucial to the Civil War. The Union
specialized in producing guns and bullets used in
guns due to all of the factories they had. The
Confederacy specialized in other forms of weapons
such as sabers, cannons and warships. The fighting
strategies of the Union (anaconda plan) and
Confederacy (guerrilla warfare) also played into the
weapons they used.
The War Escalates
4. Choose a battle from the beginning of the war (Fort Sumter, First Bull Run, Shiloh or
Antietam) and describe it in detail – as well as explain what lessons were learned from
it.
Answers will vary: Shiloh was an incredibly bloody
battle in the Civil War. Grant’s armies were
surprised by Confederate troops in the state of
Tennessee on April 6th, 1862. Both sides fought well,
but the Union eventually won – at a great cost.
Almost 4,000 soldiers died and over 20,000 were
injured. Battles like Shiloh increased the Union’s
belief that they could win and convinced Lincoln to
write his Emancipation Proclamation.
5. Describe the Emancipation Proclamation in detail (who wrote it and why). What did the
document do and not do?
The Emancipation Proclamation was written by
Abraham Lincoln in 1862. With this document
Lincoln freed the slaves in the Confederate
territories and gave the slaves advice on how to
resist/escape their owners. The major problem with
the Proclamation was that Lincoln was not the
President of the Confederacy, so he had no legal
power to actually free the slaves. He also did not
free slaves in the Border States, because he needed
their support in the war.
6. Describe both the Battle of Gettysburg as well as the Gettysburg Address – why were
both such significant events?
The Battle of Gettysburg was the worst battle fought
in the Civil War. It was fought in Pennsylvania from
July 1st to July 3rd of 1863 with the Union trying to
prevent a Confederate invasion. Over 8,000 died and
over 20,000 were injured in the fighting. Months
later Abraham Lincoln gave a speech celebrating the
bravery of the soldiers on both sides of battle, and
dedicated a cemetery to them. This speech became
the most famous in world history, even when
Lincoln didn’t think it would be remembered.
Final Stages of the War
7. Choose a battle near the end of the war (Vicksburg or the Battles of Richmond) and
describe it – as well as explain how it contributed to the end of the war.
The Battles of Richmond were very important to
ending the war. Fought in 1865, General Grant spent
weeks fighting to capture the Confederate capital.
On April 9th of 1865 General Lee finally surrendered
at Appomattox Courthouse – ending the war.
8. Describe Sherman’s March to the Sea, and explain its significance in the war.
Sherman’s March to the Sea was an example of total
war, led by William Sherman in 1864. Sherman and
his men attacked Atlanta and then moved across
Georgia in a 60-mile-wide and 285-mile-long path
towards Savanah. Sherman and his troops destroyed
everything in their path, showing the Confederacy
that the Union was determined to win the war.
9. What were at least two areas of society affected by the Civil War? How were they
changed by the time it ended?
Many areas of society were affected by the civil war.
Economically the South suffered from their
farmlands being destroyed and Confederate money
becoming worthless. Socially the war changed how
women were viewed due to their contributions in
the workplace while the men were fighting, and
finally ended slavery for millions of African
Americans.
Sequencing
Place the following events in the order in which they occurred: (1-5; 1 being the first, 5 being the
last.)
2
___ ___ Battle of Shiloh
5
___ ___ Sherman’s March to the Sea
3
___ ___ Battle of Antietam
4
___ ___ Battle of Gettysburg
1
___ ___ Attack on Fort Sumter
Multiple Choice (Circle the correct answer)
1. What took effect on January 1st, 1863?
a. Gettysburg Address
c.
b. Thirteenth Amendment
Emancipation Proclamation
d. Southern Secession
2. How many African Americans fought for the Union?
a.
180,000
b. 500,000
c. 1,800,000
d. 5,000,000
3. What happened at the Appomattox Courthouse on April 9th, 1865?
Lee surrendered to Grant
a. Abe Lincoln was shot
b.
The Dred Scott Case is argued
d. The Thirteenth Amendment is ratified
c.
4. How many soldiers died in the Civil War?
a. 500,000
b.
620,000
c. 5,000,000
d. 6,200,000
5. Who assassinated Abraham Lincoln?
a. James Earl Ray
b. Lee Harvey Oswald c. John Hickley Jr.
Booth
***Level 4 Question: (Answer in 3-4 Sentences)
Should the Civil War be considered a “civil war”? Why or why not?
d.
John Wilkes