Download America`s Civil War

America’s Civil War 1861 – 1865 “4,000,000 Freed; 750,000 Dead; 1 Nation Saved” (NPS) I. A Nation Divided A. The Mexican-­‐American War of 1846 – 1848 created heated debates back on the east coast. 1. With the new western territories, some wanted to expand agricultural practices west – including slavery 2. Northern congressman David Wilmot from Pennsylvania drafted the Wilmot Proviso which called for a banned on all slavery in the west. 3. The Wilmot Proviso was quickly killed in the Senate B. The election of 1848 saw war hero Zachary Taylor reelected 1. Taylor continued to launch massive attacks against the Native Tribes living on desirable lands across America. a. Indian Removal Act (Andrew Jackson) b. Trail of Tears 2. Zachary Taylor was another polarizing figure – love him/hate him 3. Taylor ran against Democrat Lewis Cass. Cass lost, but is remembered for proposing idea of Popular Sovereignty a. Popular Sovereignty = citizens living in each western territory should decide for themselves whether theirs would become a slave state or a free state. b. The idea would not mature until the Compromise of 1850. 4. Taylor died in office and his vice president, Millard Fillmore, became the President. C. The Compromise of 1850 1. In 1850, California applied for statehood as a free state. 2. Sparked heavy debate by slave states as this would offset the balance in the Senate. 3. Congressional heavy weights, Daniel Webster and Henry Clay hammered out a “compromise” in order to appease both slave and free states. a. Compromise of 1850 – i.
California would be admitted as a free state ii.
Popular Sovereignty would determine the fate of the other western territories iii. Congress would cancel some of Texas’s debts and in exchange take some of Texas’ western lands to create “New Mexico” iv. Slave trading would be banned in Washington, D.C. v.
Congress passed a tougher Fugitive Slave Law. b. Many northerners were offended by this new law and refused to obey it. c. Don’t forget about the Missouri Compromise of 1820! D. Franklin Pierce replaced Fillmore as President of the United States after winning the 1852 election. 1. Pierce tried to capitalize on the nation’s Manifest Destiny 2. He tried to tactfully support annexation of: a. Nicaragua (failed) b. Cuba (failed) c. Gadsden purchase (success) land between Arizona and New Mexico E. Hoping to increase northern trade, Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas introduced the 1854 Kansas-­‐Nebraska Act. 1. The act created the boundaries of Kansas and Nebraska and 2. Declared that popular sovereignty would determine the future of slavery there a. Southerners jumped at this opportunity b. The Kansas-­‐Nebraska Act effectively cancelled the Missouri Compromise (no longer did the US have to admit 1-­‐1 states) c. Hundreds of Missourians crossed the border into Kansas with their slaves to push for slavery. i. They often rigged elections to get more pro-­‐slavery delegates. d. Northerners saw this and rushed to the territory to establish their own delegates. i. In 1856, A group of pro-­‐slavery men burned the anti-­‐
slavery town of Lawrence to the ground ii. In revenge, abolitionists, led by John Brown, killed five of these “border ruffians” at the Pottawatomie Massacre. e. Because of the continued blood shed over this new territory, many referred to territory as “Bleeding Kansas”. F. The Election of 1856 1. Bleeding Kansas was the hottest topic of the 1856 election. 2. James Buchanan (Democrat from Pennsylvania) won the election 3. Southerners threatened to secede from the Union if a Republican won the election. G. The 1857 Dred Scott v Sanford Supreme Court case ruled the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. 1. Terrified many northerners because it ultimately declared that slavery technically could not be banned anywhere in the United States. 2. The Dred Scott Case a. Dred Scott was a slave from Virginia (born around 1800) b. He traveled with his “master” from Virginia to Alabama and then to Missouri where his master died. c. Scott was then bought by Army Surgeon Dr. John Emerson d. Dr. John Emerson took Scott with him when he travelled to Illinois – A free state e. Scott then moved to an Army fort in Wisconsin when Dr. Emerson was transferred. i. Scott married slave Harriet Robertson and ownership of Harriet was also transferred to Dr. Emerson f. Dr. Emerson then moved to Louisiana (army) –leaving Scott and Harriet in Wisconsin g. after a year, Dr. Emerson got married and summoned for Dred Scott and Harriet to move to his new home in Louisiana. h. They went – Leaving a “Free Territory” for a Slave State i. In 1843, Dr. Emerson died and his wife hired out Dred Scott to another Army Captain. i. This is when Dred Scott sought for his and Harriet’s freedom ii. First Dred Scott tried to buy their own freedom from Dr. Emerson’s wife for $300 – She refused iii. Then Dred Scott sought his freedom through the courts j. The trial began in June 1847 i. Dred Scott lost because he couldn’t prove that he was owned by Emerson’s widow. ii. In 1848, the Missouri State Court decided the case should be retried. iii. 1850, the Missouri State Court (free state) ruled that Dred Scott and Harriet were free iv. In 1852, the Missouri State Supreme Court reversed their decision saying they were in fact slaves v. Dred Scott kept seeking “fairness” vi. In 1857, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney – a staunch supporter of slavery – delivered the closing decision on the Dred Scott case: 1. Declared that ALL BLACKS – slaves as well as free – were not and could never become citizens of the United States 2. Declared the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was unconstitutional – thus permitting slavery everywhere in the United States k. Peter Blow’s sons, childhood friends of Scott, helped pay for his legal fees and after the trial “bought” Scott and Harriet and set them free. l. Dred Scott died 9 months later. H. While many states ignored the rulings of the Dred Scott case, John Brown used it to rev up abolitionist movements. 1. John Brown was born in Connecticut but raised in Ohio 2. Brown was vehemently against any form of slavery 3. Brown had a very large family – he had 20 children a. Brown often gave away parts of his own land to fugitive slaves b. Brown and his wife also raised black youths as their own children c. Brown was heavily involved in the Underground Railroad 4. In 1849, Brown met Fredrick Douglass and it was then that he dedicated his life to ending slavery – no matter the cost 5. John Brown had earned a reputation of violence 6. In 1859 John Brown attempted to incite a massive slave uprising 7. Abolitionist: one who advocates the abolishment of slavery 8. John Brown led 21 men on a raid of the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (present-­‐day West Virginia) 9. He planned to use the weapons from the armory to arm slaves so that they could fight against their owners 10.John Brown’s plan didn’t work 11.Marines led by Robert E. Lee stopped the raid within 36 hours 12.Most of Brown’s men – including 2 of his sons – were killed 13. Brown himself was wounded in the attack, captured and sent to Charleston, Virginia (present-­‐day West Virginia) where he was tried, sentenced and hanged on December 02, 1859. I. The Election of 1860 1. With the country in such heated debate, the Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln as their Presidential candidate 2. Southerners again threatened to secede if a Republican won the presidential election 3. Abraham Lincoln won the election with 40% of the popular vote and more electoral votes than all the other candidates combined. 4. South Carolina made good on their threats and seceded from the Union shortly after Lincoln’s election. a. 6 other states followed suit (7 total) i. South Carolina ii. Alabama iii. Florida iv. Georgia v. Louisiana vi. Mississippi vii. Texas b. They established a new government called the Confederate States of America in Richmond, Virginia with Jefferson Davis as their first President. 5. When the war began with the firing upon Fort Sumter, South Carolina (Charleston) on April 12, 1861 four more states joined the Confederacy a. Arkansas b. North Carolina c. Tennessee d. Virginia II. The War Begins A. In the spring of 1861, the tensions that had suffocated the United States for the past decades would finally erupt into an all-­‐out war of brother-­‐against-­‐brother. 1. Throughout the nineteenth century (1800s) the US was experiencing tremendous growth 2. While the north was fully equipped with modern factories, the southern farms, which produced the raw materials (cotton, tobacco, rice, etc), feared that [1] without the use of slave labor, their farms would not be able to produce the raw materials and [2] that the north was abusing their status as “united states” and not paying the southern farmers fair wages for the products. 3. Many southern plantation owners sought to sell their products to European investors. 4. Northern factory owners blocked this as they would not be able to make as much money if they had to pay more for the raw materials a. North = Pay less make more b. South = Paid less make less (lose-­‐lose) B. On April 12, 1861 President Lincoln ordered a fleet to resupply a Union stronghold at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. 1. Southerners met the Union ship and fired upon it as it entered the Charleston Harbor 2. After 2 days, Fort Sumter was secured by Confederate forces C. The Civil War had officially begun III. The First Battle of Bull Run (AKA: Battle of First Manassas) A. July 21, 1861 B. Manassas, Virginia C. 35,000 Union Troops D. 20,000 Confederate Troops led by Thomas Jonathon “Stonewall” Jackson. E. Confederate Victory 1. Causalities a. Union: 2,950 b. Confederacy: 1,750 F. Forced Union troops to retreat back north to D.C. G. Both sides increased their call for troops as it was evident that this war would be neither short nor peaceful IV. Lincoln A. President Lincoln took immediate action 1. Suspended Habeas Corpus 2. Increased the size of the Army 3. Ordered a Naval blockade of southern ports 4. Initiated a draft i. Not well received in poor urban areas such as NYC ii. Led to the New York City Draft Riots of 1863 B. While the Supreme court often ruled that Lincoln’s actions were not constitutional, the Legislative branch, Congress, usually sided with Lincoln. V. Battle of Fort Donelson A. February 11, 1862 B. Tennessee C. Union Victory led by General Ulysses S. Grant D. Causalities 1. Union: 2,331 2. Confederacy: 15,067 VI. Battle of Shiloh A. April 6-­‐7, 1862 B. Southwestern Tennessee C. Union Victory (not a clean victory) led by Ulysses S. Grant D. Causalities 1. Union: 13,047 of 62,000 total troops (21%) 2. Confederacy: 10,694 of 45,000 total troops (24%) E. Nation was shocked at the sheer brutality of this war VII. Battle of Gaines’ Mill A. June 27, 1862 B. James River (Richmond to Hampton) Virginia C. Confederate Victory led by Robert E. Lee D. Causalities 1. Union: 6,800 of 34,000 total troops 2. Confederacy: 8,700 of 60,000 total troops E. Cut Union supply lines to the southeast coast VIII. Second Battle of Bull Run (AKA: Second Battle of Manassas) A. August 29-­‐30, 1862 B. Manassas, Virginia C. Confederate Victory led by Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and George McClellan D. Causalities 1. Union: 13,830 2. Confederacy: 8,350 E. Northern moral was cut and southern victory seemed imminent IX. Battle of Antietam A. September 17, 1862 B. Sharpsburg, Maryland (1st battle fought on Union land, Maryland was a Union/slave state) C. Bloodiest single day of war in American history D. 23,000 Casualties E. No clear victor F. Allowed for Abraham Lincoln to later deliver his infamous “Emancipation Proclamation” 1. The Emancipation Proclamation stated that all states in rebellion of the Union as of January 1, 1863 would be freed by Presidential decree. Did not end slavery in union states. 2. Lincoln believed that Union soldiers needed a “moral” reason to fight. X. Battle of Fredericksburg A. December 13, 1862 B. Northern Virginia C. Confederate Victory led by Robert E. Lee D. Causalities 1. Union: 13,353 2. Confederacy: 4,576 E. Sent a shock to loyal union supporters everywhere XI. Battle of Stones River A. December 31, 1862 – January 2, 1863 B. Tennessee C. Union Victory (weak victory) D. Causalities 1. Union: 13,249 2. Confederacy: 10,266 E. Not a clear victory, but the Union used it to promote that the “tides of war” were changing = Recruitment. XII. Siege of Vicksburg A. May and June 1863 B. Vicksburg, Mississippi C. Union Victory led by Ulysses S. Grant D. Causalities 1. Union: 10,142 2. Confederacy: 9,091 E. Enabled the Union to control the Mississippi River F. Split Confederate troops in half (physically and supply line) XIII. Battle of Gettysburg A. July 1-­‐3, 1863 B. Gettysburg Pennsylvania C. Union Victory led by George Mead D. Causalities 1. Union: 23,000 2. Confederacy: 28,000 E. Robert E. Lee did not support slavery. He did not support the South’s efforts to keep slavery. The only reason Lee supported the confederacy, was because he was a proud Virginian, and when Virginia seceded, he followed. 1. Lee knew that if the war continued, they would need outside assistance. 2. After he won a decisive victory at Chancellorsville, he decided to take his troops on the offensive to Union territory. 3. He was greatly outnumbered – highly responsible for the Union victory at Gettysburg 4. Even though Mead knew Lee was sneaking his men out of Pennsylvania and back to Virginia, he did not follow them out of respect for the man that Lee was – highly respected among both union and confederate leaders. 5. After his lost at Gettysburg, Lee offered his resignation to Confederate President Davis, but was denied. F. In November of 1863, Lincoln was invited to deliver remarks, which would later be known as the Gettysburg Address, at the National Cemetery of Gettysburg. 1. 273 words – 2 minutes of the most retold American Speech in history 2. Called for “a new birth of freedom” and to repair the Brotherhood and Union of the United States. XIV. Battle of Chichamauga A. September 19-­‐20, 1863 B. Tennessee C. Confederate Victory D. Causalities 1. Union: 16,170 2. Confederacy: 18,454 XV. Battle of the Wilderness A. May 4-­‐5, 1864 B. Northern Virginia C. Union Victory led by Ulysses S. Grant D. Causalities 1. Union: 18,400 2. Confederacy: 11,400 XVI. Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse A. May 8-­‐21, 1864 B. Virginia C. No clear victor D. Causalities 1. Union: 18,000 2. Confederacy: 12,000 E. Union troops continued on towards Richmond, Virginia XVII. Surrender at Appomattox Court House A. April 9, 1865 B. General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant C. Appomattox Court House in Virginia – WAR WAS OVER D. 27, 805 Confederate POW’s paroled E. Robert E. Lee went home to Virginia and became head master at Washington University – would later became Washington and Lee University. F. Ulysses S. Grant entered politics and would be elected the 18th President of the United States in 1868 (served from 1869 – 1877). *After the Civil War, the United States was left in despair. The nation was largely divided, in debt and badly beaten. With Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, the American dream was almost lost to the turbulent times of the Civil War. As a new united nation, the US will have to “rebuild” from ground up…literally and figuratively…. NEXT UNIT>>>>>RECONSTRUCTION