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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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The Two Sides

• By February 1861, 7 states had left the Union and formed the Confederacy

• Calling themselves the Confederate States of America, they elected Jefferson Davis, a MS senator, as president and Alexander Stephens (GA) as vice-president.

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The Two Sides

• Within weeks of Lincoln’s inauguration, Confederate troops captured several southern garrisons including Fort Pulaski in Savannah

• The Confederate army then demanded the surrender of Fort Sumter (SC), but the Union general there refused

• On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter and the Union surrendered it

• This action caused VA, NC, TN, & AR to join the Confederacy

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The Two Sides, cont.

• These four new states brought much needed soldiers, animals, industry & food to the Confederacy

• The Confederacy chose Richmond, VA as its capital (only 100 miles from Union capital of D.C)

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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

• Because MO, KY, & MD had strong support for the South, they teetered on the brink of secession

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Border States – Their importance

• Missouri had strategic location on Mississippi River and could control major routes to the West

• Kentucky controlled the Ohio River• Delaware was close to Philadelphia (an

important Northern city)• Maryland was close to Richmond & D.C.

(secession by MD meant D.C. would be surrounded by Confederacy)

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Border States, cont.

• Lincoln had to be cautious with Border States to avoid antagonizing them out of the Union

• Because he used his power to have people arrested for supporting secession & supported rebellion against the pro-secession govt. of MO, 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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Secession from the South

• Not all Southerners agreed with secession– Pockets of Union support existed in

eastern TN & western VA– People of the Appalachian region

generally opposed secession– 48 western VA counties who wanted to

secede from VA & rejoin the Union eventually organized themselves as a separate state called West Virginia and were admitted the Union in 1863

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Comparing North & South:Northern Strengths

• Larger population to support war effort• More industry & more abundant resources• Better banking system to raise money for

war• More ships (older ships)- most member of

navy supported Union• Larger & more efficient railway network• Abraham Lincoln was unexpected great

war leader

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Comparing North & South:Northern Weaknesses

• North would have to invade & hold South – large area with hostile people

• Public opinion in North was divided over war – support for war was shaky

• Many thought South had good chance to win

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Comparing North & South:Southern Strengths

• White population was extremely supportive of war

• Fighting in familiar territory• Fighting for their way of life• Military leadership was far superior

– People had strong tradition of military service– Large pool of officers from military colleges– Jefferson Davis (West Point graduate &

experienced soldier) was leader of Southern war effort

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Comparing North & South:Southern Weaknesses

• Smaller population of free men from which to build army

• 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– Made food, weapon, & supply delivery difficult

• State’s Rights beliefs hampered war effort– Individual states refused to give Confederate

government enough power to fight war effectively

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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 exiting

– 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 D.C & 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 & 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