The Civil War

“A nation divided can not stand.”

The Coming of War

1850 slavery really came into focus

North questioned the morality of slavery

1852 Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Harriet Beecher Stowe

Depicted the horrors of slavery

“so this is the little lady who started the big war.” -Lincoln

Southern Society

The South considered slaves property They believed that the North was getting rich

off cheap labor Invention’s of the time helped contribute to

separation Cotton Gin in south Railroad and Telegrams in the north

North vs. South

Population 21.5 Million Railroad mileage 21.7

thousand miles Factories 110 thousand Bank Deposits 207

million dollars

Population 9 Million Railroad mileage 9

thousand Factories 20 thousand Bank Deposits 47

million dollars

Compromise of 1850

Main men behind the compromise was Clay, Calhoun, Daniel Webster

California would come in as a free state New Mexico and Utah would decide by popular

sovereignty Congress abolished sale of enslaved people in

Washington D.C. Slavery would remain legal in D.C. Fugitive Slave Act passed (victory for south)

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Both states were ready for statehood, however they were both above the Missouri compromise line

Senator Steven Douglas from Illinois wanted to run for President

To do this he needed southern votes Wanted to build railroads through Kansas and

Nebraska to improve city of Chicago Proposed that the two states would determine their

own statues by popular sovereignty

Bleeding Kansas

John Brown, evangelical believed he was sent by God to end slavery

Killed five men (pro-slavery) outside their homes

Began the summer of violence “bleeding Kansas”

Dred Scott v. Sandford

Virginia Slave taken to a free state

Supreme court ruled Scott was property

African American’s were not citizens of the United States

Lincoln – Douglas Debates 1858

Steven Douglas

“little giant” Main man behind the

Kansas-Nebraska act Debated Lincoln in a

series of 7 debates Issue Popular

Sovereignty Won the election for

Illinois senate

Abraham Lincoln

New face of the Republican party

Against the spread of slavery

Did not believe in the equality of blacks

“A house divided against itself can not stand.”

Harper’s Ferry VA

John Brown raid the fort Weapons depot Planned on stealing the

weapons and giving them to the slaves

Fort was protected by Robert E. Lee

Captured and killed for Treason against the United States

The War Starts

South Carolina secedes from the Union and six other states follow

(FL, MS, Al, GA, LA, TX) Jefferson Davis is elected president of

Confederate States of America Lincoln refuses to recognize the CSA,

declares the south in a state of rebellion

Fort Sumter

Lincoln knew he could not abandon the fort Also knew he could not make a move that looked like

an act of aggression Decided to sent food and supplies to the fort, no arms

or weapons Jefferson Davis ordered his generals to take the fort,

by force if necessary Event sparks unity in the north large numbers of men

volunteered for the army

Virginia

April 17th Virginia leaves the Union Largest in population Geographically close to the north Navy Yard, harbors, forts, Iron deposits Robert E. Lee US tradition, 7 presidents came from this state Once VA left others like AR, NC, TN left the Union

number was up to 11

Border States

Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri all slave states remained in the Union

Virginia was split, western territory was anti-slavery

The State of West Virginia was formed

Tale of the Tape

21 Million People 4 million military eligible Naval production 25-1 Iron production 15-1 Firearm production

32-1

9 Million People 1 million military eligible

Northern Strategy

1. Blockade Southern ports: do not allow imports or exports

2. Control the Mississippi: cut the south in two

3. Capture the capitol of Richmond

“Anaconda Plan”

Southern Strategy

Protect the home front War of attrition, continuously try to push

back the north North had too many resources, and

supplies, south could not hold them off

Monitor vs. Merrimac

South tried to break the blockade

Iron steam ships First time Iron ships

played a big role in war

Bull Run

Union Army tried to take Richmond Met at Bull Run 25 miles outside of Washington

D.C. Greatly experienced Union Army met the

Confederates General Thomas J. Jackson of South held off the

Union army “Stonewall Jackson” Huge victory for the south, “secure their

Independence.”

Ulysses S. Grant

Mexican War hero Lead the western campaign First major battle was at

Shiloh, Tenn Huge victory for the North Major loss for America 13,000 Union 11,000 Confederates

Robert E. Lee

First major battle was at Antietam

Military draw Lee pulled back to

Richmond 5000 dead 19,000 wounded

                                                     

Emancipation Proclamation

Lincoln knew slavery was legal under the constitution

War was going badly for the north Congress was pressuring Lincoln to punish the

south What could Lincoln do to punish the south Free the slaves North had no power to enforce it, however it

increased the number of African Americans in military

Fredericksburg & Chancellorsville

Lee and Jackson demoralize the North, major victories for the south

Gave the South confidence to invade the North

Lee wanted Harrisburg PA

Gettysburg

Greatest battle ever fought in western hemisphere

Lasted three days Lee vs. Meade Union won a decisive victory, Lee’s troops

were badly weakened Turning point of the war, South could

never again mount an offensive

Siege at Vicksburg

Around the same time as Gettysburg Grant was winning in the south

Took Vicksburg and control of the Mississippi

Grant could now take his troops and move north to finish off Lee in Richmond

Grant would lose 60,000 men (more than Lee’s entire army) to take the capitol

Sherman’s March to the Sea

William Sherman and 100,000 troops began an invasion of total war

Marched from Vicksburg area, trough Atlanta to the Atlantic

Burning everything in the path

Fields, homes, churches, anything in the way

Completely demoralized the south

Election of 1864

Lincoln needed to do something to gain support in south

Chose Andrew Johnson a Southern Democrat as his running mate

Democrats nominated George McClellan the general Lincoln fired

Lincoln was elected for second term

Congressed passed the 13th Amendment ending slavery

Appomattox

Lee Surrendered Appomattox Court

house VA Allowed the

Confederate soldiers to go home

050,000

100,000150,000200,000250,000300,000350,000400,000450,000500,000

KIA Disease POW Wounded

Union

Confederacy

Total

Korea

WWII

WWI

Vietnam

Rev. War

Civil War

620,000405,000

112,000 58,000

54,000

4,000

Other Impacts

Homestead Act of 1862, gave free land in new territory if you build farm on it

Clara Barton, woman field nurse, Elizabeth Blackwell first female Dr.

Greenbacks- 400 million dollars printed to pay for war, paper money had no gold backing

“War is hell”

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

On June 1, 1865, Senator Charles Sumner commented on what is now considered the most famous speech by President Abraham Lincoln. In his eulogy on the slain president, he called it a "monumental act." He said Lincoln was mistaken that "the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here." Rather, the Bostonian remarked, "The world noted at once what he said, and will never cease to remember it. The battle itself was less important than the speech."