Download The Civil War - Social Circle City Schools

 As America moved closer and closer to the next
Presidential Election, the hostility between pro-slavery
and anti-slavery grew more and more intense.
 In 1859 you have John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry.
Hoping to start a slave uprising John Brown and his
men raided a federal arsenal and held captive 60
leading figures of the area. This was put down by
Colonel Robert E. Lee
 Then mobs in the south assaulted those who held antislavery views.
 Democrats- Stephen Douglas
 Wanted territories to decide for themselves whether or not it
would become a free or slave state
 Supported by northerners
 Southern Democrats were not happy with this choice so
the party split and they chose John Breckinridge
 Believed strongly in “States Rights” and believed slavery
should expand into new territory
 Supported by Southerners
 Republicans – Abraham Lincoln
 Does not want slavery in territories but did not want to erase
slavery all together. – Free Soil
 Supported by Northerners
 Lincoln won the
Presidential Election!
 Won 180 electoral votes
 Received 39% of the
popular vote
 He did not win a single
slave state.
 15 Slave states were furious!
Even though Lincoln
promised not to erase the
institution of slavery they
did not believe him.
 With Lincoln winning the
election, the South felt like
they had lost their political
voice and feared Lincoln
would end slavery. Some
called upon their states to
secede from the Union.
 December 20, 1860 South
Carolina became the first
state to secede.
 By March of 1861 Mississippi,
Florida, Alabama, Georgia,
Louisiana, and Texas had all
seceded.
Lincoln elected
2. South Carolina secedes
3. 7 states join the
Confederacy (CSA)
1.
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Upper south did not
secede right away
 The states that had
seceded from the Union
joined together in
Montgomery, Alabama to
form a Confederacy.
 The constitution closely
resembled that of the
United States with some
small differences.
 Protected slavery and
states rights
 Created a weak national
government
 Outlawed Tariffs
 President – Jefferson Davis
They created a new flag known
as the Stars and Bars.
 Members of Congress,
those in various federal
departments, and even
those in the Presidents
cabinet started turning
in their resignations.
 Seemed like the federal
government was melting
away!
 All before Lincoln even
took office.
 On March 4th, Lincoln
gives his inaugural address.
 Urged Confederate. states
to return
 Preserve the Union
 Assures that it is not his
intention to abolish slavery
and would uphold the
fugitive slave act
 Promised to protect
federal property even
though they left the
Union.
 Fort Sumter in South
Carolina was one of the
last few in Union hands
by the time Lincoln took
office. Confederate forces
were now demanding that
they either surrender or
face an attack.
 With supplies running
low Major Anderson
wrote to Lincoln for help.
 What should Lincoln do?
 Lincoln decided to send
provisions on unarmed
boats to Fort Sumter.
 Jefferson Davis’s reaction –
fire on the fort!
 April 12, 1861 Confederate
men began shelling Fort
Sumter. It lasted 36 hrs
before Anderson
surrendered.
 Not a single American
soldier was killed, but it
marked the start of the
Civil War
 On April 17th , Virginia was
unwilling to fight against
other Southern states and
therefore seceded.
 Virginia was a huge gain for
the Confederacy. It was the
most populated and the
most industrialized.
 However, counties in west
Virginia were anti-slavery
and they seceded from
Virginia, creating a new
state for the Union – West
Virginia in 1863.
 In May, Arkansas,
Tennessee, and North
Carolina join the
Confederacy.
 Slave states remaining in
the Union – Maryland,
Delaware, Kentucky, and
Missouri.
What do you think are some advantages of the North and of the South
for this upcoming war?
 Population – 21 million in
the north vs. 9 million in
the south.
 Industry – Almost all
industry was in the north.
South did not have a single
rifle works
 Railroads were twice as
dense.
 Navy
Disadvantages:
 Have to invade the South
 Hard to keep support
 Better military leaders
 Soldiers were better
horsemen and riflemen
 Most fighting on its own
territory (home-field
advantage)
 Don’t have to win, just drag it
out!
 Their cause for Independence
 Main objective – to preserve
the Union
 Plan –
 Use navy to blockade the
southern ports
 Split the Confederacy in two
along the Mississippi River
 Capture the Confederate
capital at Richmond,
Virginia
 Known as the Anaconda
Plan
 Offensive Defense
 Protect the South
 Attack the North when the chance arises
 A growing number of
Americans were wondering
why the Union was having a
hard time dealing with the
Confederacy.
 By the fall of 1862 the tide
seemed to be turning
against the Union.
 Many in the north said that
the war was futile. The cost
of lives and money was a
waist and to let the
Confederacy have their own
nation.
 These groups of people were
known as Copperheads.
 Some of these people would discourage men from enlisting
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in the army and would even try to convince soldiers to
desert.
In response Lincoln decided to suspend the writ of habeas
corpus in many states. This meant that people could be
placed in prison without proof as to why they are there.
As a result more than 13,000 suspected Confederate
sympathizers were arrested and held without trial.
Supreme Court Chief Justice declared that Lincoln had
gone beyond his constitutional powers.
Lincolns’ actions had set a precedent that expanded
presidential powers during war or for “national security”.
States rights led to very little money and troops
2. Printed more money to pay for the war
3. Inflated by 7000%
1.
 Due to heavy casualties and
widespread desertions, both
the Confederacy and the
Union established
conscription.
 All men between the ages of
20-45 could be drafted.
 However you could avoid
conscription by either
paying $300 to the
government or hire a
substitute to go in your
place.
 “rich man’s war but a poor
man’s fight.”
 An army of 30,000 Union troops marched towards
Richmond, Virginia. Only 100 miles from Washington D.C.
 Along the way Union soldiers came upon a Confederate
army near a little creek of Bull Run. Lincoln commanded
General Irvin McDowell to attack.
 The attack began on July 21st 1861
 1st battle of the Civil War
 The Union army had the upper hand until Confederate
reinforcements arrived. This turned the tide of battle.
 Stonewall Jackson defended Richmond from the USA,
ending in the first victory for the South
 It was here that Jackson
earned his nickname
“Stonewall”.
 Northerners were so
confident in victory that they
packed picnics and put on
their best clothes to see the
battle.
 Later when the North
retreated they were overrun.
General Thomas Jackson
 After a series of victories
General Lee made plans to
move against Washington
DC.
 1st attempt to attack the
North
 Luckily for McClellan, a
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefi
elds/antietam/maps/antietamanimated-map.html
corporal discovered that Lee
and Jackson’s armies were
separated for the time being.
 McClellan decided to attack
and the two armies fought on
September 17 near a creek
called Antietam.
 Lee was forced to fight a defensive battle, 37,000 against
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75,000 Union troops.
The battle ended in a draw, but the Confederacy retreated
the next day due to dwindling numbers.
Much to the chagrin of Lincoln, McClellan did not pursue
them. Many believed that if he did the war could have
ended then and there.
This battle proved to be the bloodiest single day battle in
American history.
Casualties totaled more than 26,000. As many as the War
of 1812 and the war with Mexico combined.
Lincoln ends up firing McClellan a couple months later.
 With the growing number
of dissent in the north and
Abolitionists at his back
about ending slavery, and
wanting to quickly end the
war, Lincoln decided that
the Union needed another
motive to continue fighting
and win the war.
 Emancipation
Proclamation
 Freed the slaves in CONFEDERATE states.
 “Border states” still kept slaves
 Escaped slaves added to the chaos and some quit working
 Gave the war a high moral purpose.
 Allowed blacks into the military.
 Made the Confederacy more determined than ever to fight
to preserve its way of life.
 Ended the option of compromise with the Confederacy – it
was now a fight to the death.
 Prevented other nations from joining or recognizing the
Confederacy as a nation. – England and France were
thinking of joining.
 “Lee’s Perfect Battle”
 At this time, the Confederate
Army of 57,000 lie between
the Union Army of 104,000
men and Richmond.
 With a daring move, Lee
split his army to outflank the
Union troops.
 Jackson led this maneuver
 After three days of intense
fighting the Confederates
won.
 However it was a very costly
victory.
 It was a great victory but
soon after on May 2, a heavy
blow befell the
Confederates.
 On his return from a patrol,
Confederate guards mistook
Stonewall Jackson for a
Yankee and shot him in the
arm.
 A surgeon amputated his
arm but he caught
pneumonia and died on May
10.
 Before Jackson’s death, he and
Lee were a great team. The two
of them worked very well
together.
 However, Lee must continue
on. With the Confederates
holding the military
advantage, Lee wants to invade
the North for a second time.
 He hopes that a victory on
northern soil will help sway
politics in the north towards
pro-Southern Democrats.
 Thus he pushes forward into
Pennsylvania.
 The Battle of Gettysburg
was an unplanned one.
Many of the Confederate
soldiers led by A.P. Hill were
barefoot and heard of shoe
supplies in the town of
Gettysburg.
 Along the way they ran into
Union cavalry under Officer
John Buford.
 Buford quickly ordered his
men to take defensive
positions on the hills and
ridges surrounding the
town.
 Shooting soon attracted
reinforcement from both
sides.
 The North was soon under
the command of General
George Meade, and the
South under Lee.
 The Confederates took
control of the town. Lee
knew, however, that the
battle would not be won
until the North yield their
positions up on Cemetery
Ridge.
 After 3 days of heavy
fighting the South lost the
battle and Lee gave up
hopes of invading the
North.
 This battle was considered
the turning point in the
war. The Confederacy
never recovered from the
losses of Gettysburg.
 After the battle, Lincoln
would give his most
famous speech yet – the
Gettysburg Address.
 Vicksburg, Mississippi was
one of only two Confederate
holdouts remaining on the
Mississippi River. If Union
forces take them they control
the river and split the
Confederacy
 Keeping with the Anaconda
plan
 To prepare for an attack,
Grant sends men out to
destroy rail lines in the center
of the state.
 Thus drawing attention and
soldiers away from Vicksburg.
 Grant was now able to land
infantry south of the port and
in 18 days they sacked the
states capital city, Jackson.
 Grant and his troops then rush
to Vicksburg.
 Grant realized he could not
quickly take the city so he set
up for a siege.
 Cuts supply to the city for 2
months
 The Union began a steady
barrage of artillery shelling
from both the river and land.
 The siege had been going
on for about a month when
food supplies starting
running so low that people
began eating dogs.
 Confederate soldiers finally
told their commanding
officer, “If you can’t feed us,
you’d better surrender.”
 On July 3rd the Confederates
surrendered and the city
fell on the 4th.
 5 days later the last holdout
on the Mississippi fell, thus
cutting the Confederacy in
two and gained complete
control of the Mississippi.
 In March of 1864, Lincoln
appoints Ulysses S. Grant
the hero of Vicksburg and
commander of all Union
armies.
 Grant then moves on to
face Lee in the East. His
plan is to immobilize Lee’s
army. He fought battle after
battle losing twice as many
men as Lee. However the
North could afford it and
the South could not.
 While Grant faces Lee in
Virginia, William T.
Sherman would march
south and raid Georgia.
 The goal is to keep the
Confederacy from
reinforcing Lee in
Virginia.
 Also, Lincoln needs a
major victory if he is to
be re-elected to a second
term.
 As Sherman and his men
moved closer to Atlanta, it’s
citizens could hear war waging
at Kennesaw. They soon started
to evacuate the city.
 On July 22, 1864, Atlanta fell to
Sherman and his men, thus
neutralizing the rail lines and
supply hub.
 After the evacuation of the city,
Sherman burned most of the
buildings, military or not.
 He was a big believer in total
war.
Lincoln is re-elected!
 Sherman then marches
from Atlanta to Savannah.
 Sherman’s goal is to scare
it’s citizens so bad that they
would abandon the
Confederate cause and not
want war for years to come.
 He creates a swath of
destruction 300 miles long
and 20-60 miles wide.
 Houses and fields are
burned, railroads torn up,
and carcasses of cattle
lined the road.
 http://www.history.com/
 On December 20 1864,
topics/shermansmarch/videos#shermans
-terrifying-tactics
Savannah fell to
Sherman and his men.
 Sherman then moves
north to aid Grant.
 He brings with him
25,000 former slaves
eager for freedom.
 By late March of 1865, Grant began approaching
Richmond from the west while Sherman came from
the south.
 On April 2, Lee was overcome by Grant at the battle of
Petersburg. Upon hearing this news President Davis
and his government abandoned Richmond and
burned it to the ground.
 On April 9, 1865, the Confederates surrendered at the
Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
Commitment to “total
war”
1.
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Anything that could
support war was under
attack. – economy &
civilians
Excellent Southern
generals
New weapons, but old
techniques
2.
3.
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Minie Ball
Rifle
Improved artillery
Still faced lined up on the
battle field.
For every man killed in battle, two
died of illness or disease. Most
doctors didn't understand the need
to wash their hands to prevent
infections. Often the injured died
from infections, rather than from
the wound itself.
 Five days after Lee
surrendered, Lincoln and
his wife went to Ford’s
Theatre. While there John
Wilkes Booth comes up
behind the president
shooting him in the back of
the head.
 Lincoln died the following
morning on April 15.
 His body was carried from
Washington to Springfield,
Illinois on a funeral train.
 7 million Americans came to
mourn the president.
 The southern states were forced to rejoin the Union as
conquered territories not as states.
 By the end of the year the 13th Amendment was
ratified; abolishing the institution of slavery.
 About 625,000 Americans died in the Civil War. More
than World War I, World War II, the Korean War and
the Vietnam war combined.
 Questions remained: How to restore the southern
states to the Union and how to integrate 4 million
newly freed African Americans into national life?