Download Civil War

1. Economic and social differences between the North and the South

With Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin in 1793, cotton became very
profitable.
o It was a machine able to reduce the time it took to separate seeds from the
cotton. More cotton could be turned out, quickly
o Before the cotton gin, the seeds had to be separated by hand, and it took a long
time to get a major amount of sellable cotton

This changed a lot of plantation owners’ minds because they were growing tobacco
and other crops

However, at the same time the increase in the number of plantations willing to move
from other crops to cotton meant the greater need for a large amount of cheap
labor, for example, slaves.
o This was because after seven (7) years, the servant was a free man. With slaves,
they were owned so they didn’t ever get freed
o ALSO owners knew their slaves would more than likely have children, so the
children would automatically become their slaves (“replenish their supply”)

The southern economy became a one crop economy, depending on cotton and
therefore on slavery

On the other hand, the northern economy was based more on industry
(manufacturing) than agriculture
o The northern industries were purchasing the raw cotton and turning it into
finished goods

This disparity between the two set up a major difference in economic attitudes
o The South was based on the plantation system
 continued to hold onto an antiquated social order
o The North was focused on city life
 This meant that society evolved as people of different cultures
and classes had to work together
2. States versus federal rights

Since the time of the Revolution, two camps emerged:
o Proponents for greater states rights
o Those arguing federal government needed to have more control
o The first organized government in the US after the American Revolution was
under the Articles of Confederation. The thirteen states formed a loose
confederation with a very weak federal government.
 The leaders of the time to came together at the Constitutional
Convention and created, in secret, the US Constitution
 Strong proponents of states’ rights like Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry
were not present at this meeting
 Many felt that the new constitution ignored the rights of states
to continue to act independently
 Felt that the states should still have the right to decide if they were
willing to accept certain federal acts
o This resulted in the idea of nullification, whereby the states would
have the right to rule federal acts unconstitutional
o The federal government denied states this right
o Proponents such as John C. Calhoun fought vehemently for
nullification
 When nullification would not work some states felt that they
were no longer respected, so they moved towards secession
3. Growth of the Abolition Movement

Northerners became more polarized against slavery

Sympathies began to grow for abolitionists and against slavery and
slaveholders
o This occurred especially after some major events including:
 The publishing of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin
 Depicted the realty of slavery
o Most who read it didn’t know about how slavery life was like,
many horrified
 Helped “lay the groundwork” for the Civil War
 T he Dred Scott Case (1857)
 Supreme Court decided the federal government had no power to
regulate slavery in the territories (Missouri Compromise is
unconstitutional)
 Court also ruled that people of African descent (both slave and free)
were not protected by the Constitution and were not US citizens
 Chief Justice Roger B. Taney hoped the ruling would put to rest any of
the issues with slavery from here on; actually had the adverse effect
o Biggest example was the Lincoln-Douglas debate
 Lincoln/Republicans main plank in their platform was
preventing the further expansion of slavery
 John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry (AKA: John Brown’s Raid or The Raid on
Harpers Ferry)
 Brown, an abolitionist, attempted to start an armed slave revolt by
seizing a US arsenal in Harpers Ferry, VA
o The raid consisted of 20 men, but was defeated by a detachment
of Marines led by General Robert E. Lee
 The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 (AKA: The Fugitive Slave Law)
 Part of the Compromise of 1850
 Held individuals responsible for harboring fugitive slaves even if they
were located in non-slave states
 Heightened Northern fears of a “slave power conspiracy”
 Abolitionists nicknamed it the “Bloodhound Law” because they were
the type of dogs used to track down runaway slaves
4. The fight between Slave and Non-Slave State Proponents.

America was expanding quickly (Louisiana Purchase, and land from the Mexican
War)
o The question of whether new states admitted to the Union would be slave
or free was asked.
 The Missouri Compromise passed in 1820 made a rule that prohibited
slavery in states from the former Louisiana Purchase the latitude
36degrees 30 minutes north except in Missouri.
 During the Mexican War, conflict started about what would happen
with the new territories that the US expected to gain upon victory.
 David Wilmot proposed the Wilmot Proviso in 1846 which would
ban slavery in the new lands. This was shot down, to a lot of
debate.
 The Compromise of 1850 was created by Henry Clay and others to
deal with the balance between free and slave states, northern and
southern interests.

Another issue that further increased tensions was the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.

It created two new territories that would allow the states to use popular
sovereignty to determine whether they would be free or slave.

The real issue occurred in Kansas where pro-slavery Missourians began to pour
into the state to help force it to be slave.
o
They were called "Border Ruffians."
o
Problems came to a head in violence at Lawrence Kansas. The fighting
that occurred caused it to be called "Bleeding Kansas."
o
The fight even erupted on the floor of the US Senate, in May of 1856,
when antislavery proponent Charles Sumner (MA) was beat over the head
by South Carolina's Senator Preston Brooks.
o
Brooks took offense because Sumner was ridiculing his home state; his
fellow representative from SC, Andrew Pickens Butler; and the South.
5. The election of Abraham Lincoln.

Things were already coming to a head, when Lincoln was elected in 1860.
o South Carolina issued its "Declaration of the Causes of Secession."
 They believed that Lincoln was anti-slavery and in favor of Northern
interests.
 Before Lincoln was even president, seven states had seceded from the
Union:
South Carolina
Florida
Georgia
Texas
Mississippi
Alabama
Louisiana
Union and Confederacy
 February 1861 South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas form Confederate States of America.
 Confederates pick Jefferson Davis (MS) president and Alexander
Stevens (GA) vice president; both had opposed secession
Last Attempts at Compromise
 Border states proposed a compromise to keep union together
 Compromise was to extend Missouri compromise line to California
border
 President to be: Lincoln says, “No”
 Lincoln offered to try and protect slavery forever in states it existed
already, Confederates were not interested
 Confederates ready to found their own country
1
Fort Sumter
 March 4, 1861 Lincoln inaugurated
 Stars and Stripes gone everywhere in the South except a fort in






Pensacola, Florida and at Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor of
South Carolina
Lincoln won’t make issue of fort in Florida but he won’t give up Ft.
Sumter
If Sumter fell, only way to save Union would be to invade the
South, border states would then join Confederacy
If Sumter held up by Union the South might rejoin without a fight
If Sumter fired on by South, Lincoln could accuse the seceded
states of rejecting peace and starting war
Sumter needed supplies so Lincoln wrote South Carolina governor
saying he was sending a supply ship but no troops
Confederate President Davis ordered to turn ship back
2
3
 On April 12, 1861 ship entered harbor
 South Carolina batteries open fire on the fort
 Sumter bombarded for 40 hours
 April 13, Sumter surrendered to Confederate
 April 15, Lincoln asked for 75,000 soldiers to fight
WAR HAD BEGUN!!!
The Border States Choose Sides
Lincoln calls for troops; forced states to choose sides
Border States Decide
Union
Delaware
Maryland (*)
Kentucky (1/2)
Missouri (1/2)
Confederacy
Arkansas
Tennessee
Virginia ($)
North Carolina (+)
(*) Maryland surrounds D.C. so Lincoln kept them in by force
(1/2) Divided on issue, force and persuasion kept them in the union
(+) May have went with Union but was surrounded by Confederate
states
($) Only part of the state
4
5
A New State
 50 western counties of Virginia refused to leave union
 Western Virginians owned few slaves and resented eastern
Virginians control of the state government
 1861 western Virginia rejected succession and set up their own
government
 1863 West Virginia becomes its own state
The Odds Against the South
Population:
Confederacy
Union
9 million, of which 3 million were black 22 million
Railroads:
10,00 miles of non-uniformed
30,000 miles of uniformed railroads
Industry:
110,000 industry workers
120,000 industries
(producing 90% of US goods)
Misc:
South needed cotton trade but
were without any ships
40 US Navy ships stayed with the
Union
6
Southerners Thought They Could Win




Southerners only defending not out to conquer North
Rebels (south) knew the terrain better
South thought Britain would help them because of their cotton
Better soldiers in South, and military leaders
 Ex./ R.E Lee
The Campaign of 1861
 Fort Sumter attack kicked off a shooting war
 Men rushed to serve on both sides
 Within weeks the Union had 186,000 soldiers, Confederacy
112,000
The Armies: Cavalry & Artillery
 Civil war armies divided into 3 groups
 Cavalry- used horses, light weights, fast unit Reconnaissance was main
function
 Artillery- slow moving, big guns, “soften up” the enemies fortifications
before infantry attacked
 Infantry- battlefields very smoky, Infantry could not see enemy until they
were close enough for hand-to-hand combat, usually foot soldiers, were
divided into brigades of 2,000 to 3,000 troops, they were the core of the
army, and suffered the most casualties
Billy Yank & Johnny Reb
 Average soldiers between 17-25 yrs of age
 Wealthy men in both North and South could avoid the draft
 South, (“Johnny Reb”) slave owners were allowed to sit out of the




war
Both North and South a draftee could pay a substitute to take his
place
North could even pay government $300 to escape draft
Average Union soldiers (“Billy Yank”) couldn’t afford $300
Protesting over draft occurred
7
Army Life
Battles few, but horrifying
Poor food, clothing, and shelter
Supplies low, especially in South
Physicians unable to cope, more soldiers died of contagious
diseases than in battle.
 Ex: dysentery, typhoid fever, and influenza




The First Battle
 Spring 1861 both sides prepare for first and only battle of war
 Rebs expected to defeat Yanks, march into Washington D.C. and
sign the treaty granting their independence
 Union expected to defeat Rebs march into Richmond, Virginia
(Confederate capitol)
 General Winfield Scott (North) thought it would be a long and
difficult war
 Scott developed the Anaconda Plan
8
 Union navy would blockade the southern coast, and Union armies would
encircle, divide, and crush the confederacy
 Lincoln like most, thought the war would be over quickly
 Lincoln doesn’t go with Scotts plan at first and sends ill-prepared





troops South in July 1861
Under General Irwin McDowell, Union went toward Richmond
Two sides meet “Battle of Bull Run”
Both evenly matched
Union troops on verge of breaking through but troops under
“Stonewall” Jackson hold position until fresh Confederate troops
arrive, pushing Yanks back
Union routed, threw down guns and ran, D.C. undefended for days
9
The Lesson of Bull Run





Bull Run taught both sides that the war would last
Key would be to train troops well
Both sides spent rest of 1861 for recruitment, drilling, and more training
South puts General Joseph G. Johnston in charge of armies
North replaces McDowell with General George B. McClellan
Union Strategy
 First-pressure kept on Richmond
 Second-front in west, Lincoln sends troops down Mississippi River to split
Confederate
 Third-naval blockade, South imported most goods and paid for them by selling
cotton, idea was to block off their economy then they couldn’t fight on
Confederate Strategy
 Confederates wanted British or French aid
 South thought if they could win one major battle one of the powers would join
 Hope for a French alliance died first
10
11
o Napoleon III of France established a French presence in Mexicoignoring the Monroe Doctrine
o U.S. busy with Civil War can’t do anything about France in Mexico
o Wealthy land owners and textile mill owners in Britain sided with
South
o But antislavery feelings strong in Britain among the working people
o South knew they needed a “Big” win to get British help
Grants War
o Lincoln wants Grant to destroy Lee
The Tennessee Campaign
o Sept. 1863 Union pushes Confed. out of Tenn. Into North Georgia
o Union troops control Chattanooga, Ten.
o South counterattacked at Chickamauga Creek, one battle where
north was out-numbered, Union smashed
o Union troops retreat to Chattanooga
o South couldn’t take Chattanooga and later pushed back to Georgia
o Lincoln puts Grant in charge of entire army
12
Grant Before Richmond
o
o
o
o
o
o
Grant would use his numbers to march on Richmond
Union could replace men that south could not
Grant moved 100,000 south
Grant and Lee clash at Spotsylvania Courthouse and Cold Harbor
July, Lee pushed south of Richmond
Grant stays cool and stays put
Loss of Shenandoah
o Sheridan chased Confederacy into the Shenandoah Valley-fertile
farm land
o Valley had fed Lee’s army for 3 years
o Sheridan’s men wasted the valley
o Sheridan reported, “A crow could not fly over the Shenandoah without
carrying its own provisions”
Lincoln’s Re-election
13
o Lincoln vs. G. McClellan
o Lincoln a political manipulator
o Lincoln wins reelection in 1864 easily, 212 electorals to McClellan’s 2
Sherman’s March to the Sea
o General Sherman (N) moved into Georgia, fought Johnston (S) on way
o Sept. of 1864 North in Atlanta, a major rail center in deep south
o Sherman, however, was in a tight situation b/c he had only a single line of
supplies over 1 railroad from Chattanooga 100 miles away
o If Sherman waited in Atlanta he would be surrounded and starved out
o With Grant’s permission, Sherman ordered citizens to leave Atlanta and
burned the city down
o Sherman then moved S.E.
o Troops (Union) moved S.E. in 60 miles wide, columns, striping land of
buildings, crops, and livestock
o Union troops lived off the land
o Sherman had two purposes for this great destruction
o 1: make it difficult for Confederacy to pursue him, they too would have
no supplies
o 2: punish South for rebellion
14
o Dec.-Sherman reached Savannah where supplies brought in from sea
o Feb.-Sherman starts north to help Grant attack Lee in final blow
Stillness at Appomattox
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Feb. 1865 Lincoln meets Confederate VP Stephens to make peace
Stephens insisted on southern independence
Peace talks came to be nothing
April Lee down to 54,000 men and Grant had 115,000
Lee runs to the west to link up with Johnston’s army, to make last stand
Grant cut Lee off heading west
Lee’s men in very bad shape, he asked for terms of surrender
Lee met Grant in tiny town of Appomattox Courthouse
Surrender Terms
o Confederacy surrendered all arms except the officers revolvers and swords
o Officers and enlisted men could keep their horses for the spring plowing
o After Lee’s soldiers took an oath of loyalty to the Union they received
provisions and could go home
o April Johnston surrenders under similar terms
o Within weeks of Johnston’s surrender, the rest of Confederate troops dispersed
15
The American Tragedy
o 1/3 of men who served were killed, wounded, or captured
o Few days after Lincoln toured ruined Richmond he went to
a play in D.C.
o Good Friday April 14, 1865 shortly after 10 o’clock ProConfederate actor John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln