Civil War

SOL US1.9eLisa Pennington

Social Studies Instructional Specialist

Portsmouth Public Schools

Essential Knowledge

• Location and topography were critical elements influencing important developments in the Civil War, including major battles.

Key Words

• Topography: the features of an area such as landforms, elevation, and bodies of water.

Major Battles and Events

• The firing on Fort Sumter, South Carolina, began the war.

http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=4507&rendTypeId=4

Major Battles and Events

• The first Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) was the first MAJOR battle; the Confederate forces won.

http://americancivilwar.com/bullrun.jpg

Bull Run battle field

Major Battles and Events

• The signing of the Emancipation Proclamation made “freeing the slaves” the new focus of the war. Many freed slaves joined the Union army.

http://www.classbrain.com/artteenst/uploads/emancipation-proclamation.jpghttp://images.virtualology.com/images/5135.jpg

Major Battles and Events

• The Battle of Vicksburg in 1863 divided the South; the North controlled the Mississippi River.

http://kms.kapalama.ksbe.edu/projects/2002/civilwar/battle20/images/jb_0519_vicksburg_1_e.jpg

Major Battles and Events

• In 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg became the turning point of the war; the North repelled Lee’s invasion. The Confederacy suffered such great losses at this battle that Lee’s army would never have the strength to invade the North again.

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1863/july/battle-gettysburg-1500.jpg

Major Battles and Events

• Lee’s surrender to Grant at the Appomattox Court House in 1865 ended the war.

http://updatecenter.britannica.com/eb/image?binaryId=91475&rendTypeId=4

http://www.civil-war-journeys.org/images/Appomattox%20Court%20House.jpg

Influence of Location and Topography on Critical Developments in the War

• The Union blockage of southern ports (i.e., Savannah, Charleston, and New Orleans)

• Control of the Mississippi River (Vicksburg)• Battle locations influenced by the struggle to

capture capital cities (Richmond and Washington, D.C.)

• Control of the high ground (Gettysburg)

Influence of Location and Topography on Critical Developments in the War

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/preview/lessons/brady/samples/images/bheather.jpg

The destruction in Richmond.

Harbor artillery in Charleston.

http://www.old-picture.com/civil-war/Charleston-Artillery-Harbor.htm

http://www.old-picture.com/civil-war/Shermans-Burning-Atlanta-Troops.htm

Sherman’s troops destroying rail lines in Atlanta.