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The Civil War
GA Studies
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Why It’s Important
The Civil War transformed the U.S. It devastated the
economy of the South while contributing to the rapid
economic growth of the North & West. While African
Americans gained their freedom, a legacy of bitterness
between the North & South was left behind that lasted
for generations. The war also established the power of
the federal government over the states.
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Fallout from Lincoln’s Election
• By February 1861, 7 states had left the Union and
formed the Confederacy
• They called themselves the Confederate States of
America (CSA)
• They elected Jefferson Davis, a MS senator, as president
and Alexander Stephens (GA) as vice-president
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Southern Aggression
• Confederate troops captured several southern federal
forts (including Ft. Pulaski in Savannah)
• The Confederate army then demanded the surrender of
Ft. Sumter (SC), but the Union general there refused
• On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces fired upon Ft.
Sumter and the Union surrendered it
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Consequences of Ft. Sumter
• The attack on Ft. Sumter caused VA, NC, TN & AR to
join the Confederacy
• These four new states brought much needed soldiers,
animals, industry and food to the Confederacy
• The Confederacy chose Richmond, VA as its capital
(only 100 miles from the Union capital of Washington,
DC)
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Border States
• 4 states that still allowed slavery remained in the
Union: MO, KY, MD & DE
• The people of these states were divided over which
side to support
• Thousands of people in the Border States left to join the
armies of the South, but the Border States remained in
the Union
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Resources of the North
Strengths
Weaknesses
• Larger population to support
• North would have to
war effort
invade & hold the South
• More industry & more abundant • Public opinion in North was
resources
divided over war
• Better banking system
• Many thought South had
good chance to win
• Better Navy
• Larger & more efficient railway
network
• Government leadership
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Resources of the South
Strengths
• Population was extremely
supportive of war (motivated)
• Fighting in familiar territory
(play defense)
• Military leadership was far
superior
• People had strong military
tradition
Weaknesses
• Smaller population
• Few factories to make
weapons & supplies
• Produced less than ½ as much
food as North
• Less than ½ the amount of
railroads & fewer trains than
North
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War Goals & Strategies: North
• Main goal at beginning was to win the war & bring Southern
States back to Union
• Ending slavery was not major goal at first, but this changed as
war went on
• Plan included 3 major strategies
– Using superior Navy, North would blockade (close) Southern ports
(to prevent supplies from entering & South from earning money
from cotton exports
– Gain control of MS River (cutting supply lines & splitting
Confederacy)
– Capture Richmond, the Confederate capital
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War Goals & Strategies: South
• Primary goal was to gain recognition as independent nation
• This would allow them to preserve traditional way of life, and
slavery
• Their defensive strategy:
– Hold onto as much territory as possible until the North got tired of
fighting and recognized their independence
– South expected Britain & France to pressure North to end war so
cotton supply could be restored
• Offensively threaten DC & other Northern cities to persuade
North they could not win
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American Against American
• Many families & friends were divided during the war
by conflicting loyalties
• Sometimes family members would face each other in
combat
• Both sides eventually had to force men to go to battle
by the process of conscription (draft)
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The Soldiers
• Most were inexperienced & many were young
• Average age of recruit was 25, but 40% were 21 or younger
(some as young as 16)
• Soldiers came from all parts of country & all walks of life, but
mostly from farms
• Union did not allow African Americans to serve at first, but
they did serve later
• By summer of 1861:
– Confederates (often called Rebels) numbered 112,000
– Union (often called Yankees) numbered 187,000
– By end of war, about 850,000 men fought for Confederacy, and
2.1 million men fought for Union
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False Hopes
• When war began, both sides expected a brief conflict & early
victory
– Southerners believed the North lacked the conviction
necessary to win
– One Northern paper predicted a win for the North within 30
days
• Some leaders saw the situation differently
– William Tecumseh Sherman wrote, “I think it is to be a long
war—very long—much longer than the politician thinks.”
•Sherman’s prediction would be correct
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Major Battles - Antietam
• Union Leader – George B. McClellan
• Confederate Leader – Robert E. Lee
• The South had been experiencing some success
before this point in the war
• Confederate States President, Jefferson Davis, hoped
that if the South kept winning Britain and France would
join their efforts
• Davis asked Lee to lead an offensive into Maryland
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Antietam, cont.
• 2 Union soldiers found a copy of Lee’s orders for his army
(wrapped around 3 cigars)
• With the details of the plan in hand, McClellan was able to
strategically plan for battle
• McClellan took his time allowing most of Lee’s troops to rally
near Sharpsburg, MD
• After the single bloodiest day of the war (6,000 were killed,
17,000 wounded) Lee withdrew & Union claimed victory
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Results of Antietam
• After Antietam, the Northern army gained confidence
in their ability
• The battle also marked a change in the Northern war
aims
• President Lincoln used the battle to take aim against
slavery
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Emancipation Proclamation
• Sept. 22, 1862 – Issued by Abraham Lincoln five days
after the Battle of Antietam
• Lincoln wanted the Confederate States to end the
war, return to the Union, and end slavery
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Emancipation Proclamation
• Lincoln stated that unless the South surrender by January 1863,
“all slaves in states or districts in rebellion against the United
States will be thenceforth and forever free”
• The South had a choice:
– Surrender and keep their slaves
– Don’t surrender and the institution of slavery would be ended
– Confederate leaders chose to continue to fight
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Major Battles - Gettysburg
• In June, 1863, Lee moved north with an army of 75,000
• Union General Hooker wanted to advance on Richmond, but
Lincoln told him his main objective should be to attack Lee’s
army
• Hooker began to make excuses for not attacking the
Confederate forces, and was replaced by General George
Meade
• Meade’s mission was to find & fight Lee’s forces while
protecting Washington DC & Baltimore from Confederate
attack
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Major Battles - Gettysburg
• The two armies met by accident on July 1 near the small town of
Gettysburg, PA
• The battle began when Union cavalry surprised Rebel infantry
raiding the town for shoes
• The North was outnumbered, and retreated to a line of hills south
of the town where they established strong positions & prepared
to defend the town
• Although the South launched a strong attack, this strategic
placement helped the North launch a strong counterattack
which saved their position
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Gettysburg Address
• At a ceremony dedicating a cemetery at Gettysburg, Lincoln
gave a two-minute speech which became known as the
Gettysburg Address
• In this speech, Lincoln declared that the dead in the war “shall
not have died in vain, our nation would see new birth of freedom
& the government of the people, by the people and for the
people would not perish”
• Casualties: 51,112
(23,048 Union; 28,064 Confederate)
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