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.
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