Download The Union Breaks Apart

The War Begins!
Let’s think back…November, 1860
Lincoln Elected 16th President
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What does the South think Lincoln will do?
The South thinks Lincoln will end slavery and take away
the Southern way of life.
Deep South:
first 7 states
to leave.
Preparations In Face Of Succession
December, 1860: Major
Robert Anderson moves
100 troops into Fort
Sumter, South Carolina.
Fort Sumter Crisis
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South Carolina has prevented any supplies from getting in
since December, 1860.
Anderson and his men are running low on food.
Anderson refuses to give the fort to the CSA.
What should Lincoln do?
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If he uses force to help Fort Sumter
the North starts the war!
If he does nothing, the men will
starve to death and he will appear
“weak”.
April 12, 1861:
Start of the Civil War!
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The South (P.G.T. Beauregard) fires the first shot at Fort
Sumter, starting the Civil War.
Lincoln calls for 75,000 militia to put down the rebellion.
This causes four more southern states to secede.
After Lincoln requests troops…
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North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas leave
the Union.
Why?
They didn’t want to help the Union attack their
“sister states.”
The CSA is now 11 states.
What is a Border State?
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Slave states that did not join the CSA and border the
North.
Vital to both North and South: can provide food,
supplies, money, even men.
Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri.
Remember, Washington DC is bordered by Virginia
and Maryland. If Maryland joins the CSA, D.C.
would be surrounded by two CSA states!
Western part of Virginia
refuses to secede; forms new
state of West Virginia
Washington D.C.
First Bull Run
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Casualties:
U.S.: 2,950
CSA: 1,750
A casualty is a person who was either killed, wounded,
or is missing.
Why will the war last four years?
Advantages of the Union:
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Bigger population: 3.5 million
white males 18-45
10 times the manufacturing
output of the South; 25 times
greater locomotive and
firearm production, 90
warships at start of war;
South has zero!
More money from a
diversified economy.
Advantages of the CSA:
1. Better military leaders.
2. Most of the battles are in the South, so CSA has “home court
advantage”.
A. North has to bring men and equipment over long distances
(remember what we did to the British in the Revolutionary
War!).
B. The CSA knows the land.
C. The CSA will fight harder---protecting their own homes.
D. More difficult to convince Union soldier why he should be
fighting.
Advantages of the CSA:
3. CSA is fighting a “defensive war”; they don’t have to
“win” every battle, just wear the North out (N. spending
$30 per second!).
 To win, the North must completely destroy the South and
break their will, not an easy task.
 The longer the war goes on, the more likely the CSA will
get support from Europe (England and France).