Download Texas and the Civil War

-north’s economy was industrial (immigrants worked in factories)
-the south had an agricultural economy that depended on slave labor
-the north was in favor of tariffs (taxes) to protect industry
-the south opposed tariffs
-southerners believed that states had a right to ignore tariffs and federal (US)
law
-this is called states’ rights (state power was greater than federal power)
-these social and economic issues led to sectional disagreements, or
sectionalism (loyalty to a region)
-as the US expanded westward, Congress debated on new territories entering
the Union as free or slave states
-the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska act
in 1854 decided the question of slavery in Kansas,
Nebraska, and New Mexico territories
-Republican party formed in 1854 to help stop the spread
of slavery
-1857 the Supreme Court ruled that African Americans
were not citizens and could not sue in federal (US) court
(Dred Scott decision)
-court also ruled that congress could not ban slavery in
any federal territory
-after the presidential election of 1860, South Carolina chose to
secede (formally withdraw) from the Union
-many TX leaders wanted to discuss secession which angered
Unionists (people who wanted to stay in Union and work out
differences)
Texas became the 7th state to secede from the United States
on March 2, 1861
-Texas joined the seceding states to form the Confederate
States of America with Jefferson Davis as president
-March 1861, the Texas Secessionist convention wrote a new
state constitution
Essential Question:
What were the effects of the Civil War
on Texas?
-slavery was vital to the TX economy and future growth
-Texans were afraid that the Republican party was a threat to Slavery
-Sam Houston was a Unionist and tried to delay the legislative meeting
discussing secession
-about 1 out of 4 Texans were Unionists
-on Feb 23rd, Texans voted to secede (formally withdraw)
-Houston refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederacy
-state’s government collapsed at the end of the war when government
officials fled to Mexico.
-Texans established new industries to get ready for the war
-businesses made saddles, tents, uniforms, and wagons
-goods became scarce and expensive
-farmers grew more corn and wheat and less cotton to feed the army
-deaths of many men placed hardships on TX businesses, farms, and plantations
--women and children ran farms and plantations
-in 1862 the Confederate Congress passed a draft (requirement of military
service) to put more soldiers in the field
-Confederate draft upset many Unionists and some Unionists refused to
fight for either side
-some Unionist fled TX to avoid the draft
-Unionists were considered traitors
-confederate officials placed areas with large amount of Unionists under
martial law (rule by armed forces)
-enslaved Texans saw the war as a struggle for freedom
-in 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which stated
slaves were free in the areas rebelling against the United States
Essential Question:
What were some of the significant individuals
and events concerning Texas and the Civil
War?
-Galveston was vital to the confederacy
-a Union fleet sailed into Galveston Harbor and the Confederate force retreated
-if left in Union control, northern forces could sweep into TX
-Gen John B. Macgruder of the Confederate forces in TX decided to take it back
-Macgruder’s men converted steamboats to gunboats lining the sides with cotton
bales for protection (called cottonclads)
-troops commanded by Colonel Tom Green boarded to attack Union ships in the
harbor
-soldiers also attacked Union forces on land and overran forces capturing
several hundred soldiers -Union ships fled
-Confederacy now controlled key Texas ports
-the Union planned to invade TX through
Sabine Pass to recapture Galveston
-a confederate unit known as the Davis
Guards were to protect the pass
-they halted the Union attack and
captured more than 300 soldiers
-this victory excited people in TX and
restored southern confidence
-Battle at Palmito Ranch (near Brownsville)
-took place after Gen. Lee (south) surrendered
to Gen. Grant (north)
on April 9th, 1865
-on May 12th Union troops occupied
Brownsville
-following day Union and Confederate forces
clashed at Palmito Ranch
-Confederate troops defeated the Union forces
and captured 100 prisoners
-a few days later, officials met to arrange a
truce
-resigned from the United States Army
and joined the Confederate Army
-he was given command of what became
known as Hood’s Texas Brigade and
fought in some of the most important
battles of the Civil War