1 Essential Question: What factors led to the outbreak of the Civil War & contributed to Confederate successes from 1861 to 1863? Lesson Plan for Monday, November 10, 2008: RQ 16A, Lincoln video part 1, Secession & Civil War Notes
2 Secession & the Outbreak of the Civil War
3 Secession in the South Lincoln’s election led to secession by 7 states in the Deep South but that did not necessarily mean “civil war” Two things had to happen first: One last failed attempt to reconcile the North & South The North had to use its military to protect the Union The failed Crittenden Compromise in 1860 Fort Sumter, South Carolina
4 The entire Deep South seceded by Feb 1861The Upper South did not view Lincoln’s election as a death sentence & did not secede immediately Some Northerners thought the U.S. would be better off if the South was allowed to peacefully secede SC seceded on Dec 20,1860 The entire Deep South seceded by Feb 1861 “Lame duck” Buchanan took no action to stop the South from seceding
5 The Decision to Secede
6 What is the “United States”?The Southern decision to secede was based on old arguments: The USA was a “compact between states,” not a national gov’t “above the states” Therefore, states could leave the Union freely & peacefully States’ rights must be protected as a guarantee of liberty Individuals have the right to own property (slaves) & have the right to have their property returned (Fugitive Slave Law) Southerners had threatened secession during a Congressional debate over slavery in 1790, the Missouri Crisis of 1820, the Nullification Crisis of 1832, & the crisis over California in 1850 Threats of secession were nothing new. Some Southerners had threatened to leave the Union during a Congressional debate over slavery in 1790, the Missouri Crisis of 1819 and 1820, the Nullification Crisis of 1831 and 1832, and the crisis over California statehood in In each case, the crisis was resolved by compromise. Many expected the same pattern to prevail in 1861. Drawing on arguments developed by John C. Calhoun, the convention held that the states were sovereign entities that could leave the Union as freely as they joined. Among the many indictments of the northern states and people, nothing seems more central than the issue of trust with respect to the capture and return of fugitive slaves
7 Secession & the Formation of the Confederate States of AmericaThe CSA constitution resembled the U.S., but with 4 key changes: (1) it protected states’ rights, (2) guaranteed slavery, (3) referenced God, & (4) prohibited protective tariffs On Feb 4, 1861, the Confederate States of America were formed Mississippi Senator Jefferson Davis was elected CSA president Some wished to “let the South depart in peace”
8 The Deep South Secedes Moderate Republicans proposed the Crittenden Compromise to lure the South back into the Union: offered to extend the Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific promised a Constitutional amendment to protect slavery Both Lincoln & Davis rejected the compromise leaving the North with 2 choices… Lincoln rejected it because he was committed to free soil The South rejected it because they had created a new nation Allow for peaceful separation…OR… fight to preserve the Union
9 Fort Sumter, South CarolinaIn April 1861, a skirmish at Fort Sumter, SC led to the 1st shots fired of the Civil War
10 The attack rallied & unified the North for warEffects of Fort Sumter The attack rallied & unified the North for war Civil War was not technically between slave states & free states (the “border states” of MO, KY, DE, MD did not secede) Many pro-slavery border states (Arkansas, TN, NC, & VA) viewed Fort Sumter as an act of aggression by the North & joined the CSA
11 Adjusting to Total War
12 Northern Advantages At the outbreak of the Civil War, the North had lots of advantages: Larger population for troops Greater industrial capacity Huge edge in RR transportation Problem for the North: Had to invade the South to win Difficult to maintain enthusiasm & support for war over time
13 Resources of the Union and the Confederacy, 1861
14 “King Cotton” diplomacySouthern Advantages Although outnumbered & less industrial, South had advantages: President Davis knew that they did not have to “win” the war; the South only had to drag out the fight & make the North quit Had the best military leaders England & France appeared more willing to support the South “King Cotton” diplomacy Robert E “Stonewall” J.E.B. Lee Jackson Stuart
15 Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan Southern strategy was an “offensive defense”: drag out the war & strategically attack the North to destroy Northern morale Take the CSA capital at Richmond Take control of the Mississippi River George McClellan was in charge of Army of the Potomac Ulysses Grant in the West This plan maximized the North’s industrial advantages but required better leadership than North had Blockade the Southern coast Divide the West from South
16 Political Leadership During the Civil WarDavis was less effective: concerned mainly with military duties neglected the economy obstructed by state governors who resisted conscription Lincoln expanded his powers: declared martial law imprisoned “subversives” briefly closed down a few newspapers
17 The Diplomatic StruggleFrom 1861 to 1862, the South used “cotton diplomacy” to get England & France to aid them: Napoleon III favored the South but wanted England to do so 1st England offered “belligerent” status to the CSA; but otherwise chose a hands-off policy By 1863, “King Cotton” diplomacy failed because Egyptian & Indian cotton filled the European demand
18 Fighting the Civil War
19 The Civil War From , the South consistently beat the North due to poor Union leadership & the Southern defensive strategy 1st battle was Bull Run (Manassas, VA) on July 21, 1861; “On to Richmond” campaign was repulsed by “Stonewall” Jackson The U.S. & CSA forces fought to a draw at Antietam in Sept 1862—the single bloodiest day of the Civil War
20 Fighting “Total War” Women took gov’t jobs as bookkeepers, clerks & secretaries; A number of women also served as spies (Rose Greenhow, CSA) Cone-shaped bullets & grooved barrel rifles The Civil War was the world’s 1st “total war” in which the entire economy was devoted to winning: North & South drafted soldiers North & South employed female workers to meet supply demands New weapons, old tactics, & sheer numbers of troops in battle led to massive casualties Massive frontal assaults and massed formations with as many as 100,000 soldiers Repeating rifles & the Gatling gun Shrapnel, booby traps, & land mines One reason why the Civil War was so lethal was the introduction of improved weaponry. Cone-shaped bullets replaced musket balls, and beginning in 1862, smooth-bore muskets were replaced with rifles with grooved barrels, which imparted spin on a bullet and allowed a soldier to hit a target a quarter of a mile away. The new weapons had appeared so suddenly that commanders did not immediately realize that they needed to compensate for the increased range and accuracy of rifles. The Civil War was the first war in which soldiers used repeating rifles (which could fire several shots without reloading), breechloading arms (which were loaded from behind the barrel instead of through the muzzle), and automated weapons like the Gatling gun. The Civil War also marked the first use by Americans of shrapnel, booby traps, and land mines. Outdated strategy also contributed to the high number of casualties. Massive frontal assaults and massed formations resulted in large numbers of deaths. In addition, far larger numbers of soldiers were involved in battles than in the past. In the Mexican War, no more than 15,000 soldiers opposed each other in a single battle, but some Civil War battles involved as many as 100,000 soldiers. The Civil War separated families in unprecedented numbers and freed women to assume many new roles. With the departure of many men into the military, women entered many occupations previously reserved for men only: in factories, shops, and especially, the expanding civil service, where women took jobs as clerks, bookkeepers, and secretaries. A number of women also served as spies (like Rose O'Neal Greenhow ( ), a Confederate spy in Washington) and even as soldiers (like Albert Cashier, whose real name was Jennie Hodgers). But it was as nurses that women achieved particular prominence. Louisa May Alcott and Clara Barton were among thousands of women, North and South, who carried supplies to soldiers and nursed wounded men on the battlefield and in hospitals. Through organizations like the Christian Commission (formed by the North's YMCAs) and the U.S. Sanitary Commission (one of whose founders was Elizabeth Blackwell, the first American woman to earn a medical degree), women agents distributed medical supplies, organized hospitals, passed out Bibles and religious tracts, and offered comfort to wounded or dying soldiers. Initially, Lincoln and his generals anticipated a conventional war in which Union soldiers would respect civilians' property. Convinced that there was residual unionist support in the South, they expected to preserve the South's economic base, including its factories and rail lines. But as the war dragged on, the Civil War became history's first total war, a war in which the Union sought the Confederacy's total defeat and unconditional surrender. To achieve success, Union officers such as Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman believed that it was necessary to break the South's will to fight. Sherman summed up the idea of total war in blunt terms: "We are not only fighting hostile armies," he declared in 1864, "but a hostile people, and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war.“ A year earlier, a general order was issued that declared that military necessity "allows of all destruction of property" and "appropriation of whatever an enemy's country affords necessary for the subsistence and safety of the Army." This order allowed soldiers to destroy anything that might be of use to the Confederacy. Women’s most prominent role were as nurses on the battlefield: distributing medical supplies, organizing hospitals, & offering comfort to wounded or dying soldiers
21 Battle of the Ironclads (1862): CSS Virginia vs. USS MonitorConfederate ironclad CSS Virginia was built using the remains of the USS Merrimack USS Monitor was a revolutionary design: rotating turret & low profile The 1st battle of two ironclad warships was the Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862
22 Casualties of the Civil War
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24 Confederate Prison Camp in Andersonville, GAUnion Prison Camp at Andersonville, GA Built to hold 10,000 prisoners; but held more than 32,000 Union POWs
25 Essential Question: What factors helped the North turn the tide of the Civil War in 1863 that inevitably led to a Union victory in 1865? Warm-Up Question: What factors led to the outbreak of the Civil War & contributed to Confederate successes from 1861 to 1863? Lesson Plan for Tuesday, November 11, 2008: Warm-up question, Lincoln video parts 2-3, Finish Civil War Notes (from Total War to Conclusions)
26 Mobilizing the Home FrontsThe draft was unpopular among Southern governors & Northern, antiwar “Copperheads” Both the North & South faced problems supporting the war: Both sides began running out of troops; in 1862, the North & South began conscription (draft) Funding the war was difficult; both sides printed paper money (greenbacks) to accommodate spending needs; led to runaway inflation (9,000% in the South) 1 confederate dollar worth 8 cents in 1863
27 The Coming of EmancipationAt the beginning of the war, the North was fighting to preserve the Union, not to abolish slavery By mid-1862, many Northerners called for immediate emancipation Congress refused a gradual plan Many thought immediate freedom for slaves would lure England & France into alliance Southern victories pressured the North to “strike back”
28 "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that." —Abraham Lincoln, 1862
29 The Emancipation ProclamationUnion “success” at Antietam led Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863: Lincoln freed all slaves in Confederate territories This did not free a single slave but it gave the North a new reason fight the Civil War Inspired slaves to flee North Pushed for the 13th Amendment Read the text of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation Passed after the Civil War ended on Jan 31, 1865
30 Emancipation in 1863 The border states could keep their slaves (until 13th amendment passed in 1865) Emancipation in 1863
31 New York City Draft RiotThe Tide Turns in 1863 By early 1863, the North & South both faced morale problems: South—economic & diplomatic collapse, runaway slaves, & many yeomen refused to fight North—consistent losses against Lee, draft riots in NYC, anti-war “Copperheads” played on war failures & racial anxieties New York City Draft Riot
32 Fight to the Finish But by 1863, the war began to turn in favor of the North: Northern supremacy in industry & manpower began to take its toll on the exhausted South The North began enlisting blacks into the Union army; 200,000 fought as soldiers & many others served as labor in the Northern war effort
33 Grant began a siege on Richmond and…The Civil War Due to Grant’s success in the west, Lincoln made Grant supreme commander of Union army in 1864; Grant devised a strategy to invade the South on all fronts Grant began a siege on Richmond and… In July 1863, General Grant took Vicksburg & gained control of the Mississippi River Lee led an attack into the North, but lost at Gettysburg; North’s 1st real victory in the east William Sherman began his “march to the sea” (Atlanta to Savannah) & destroyed everything of military value
34 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. Gettysburg Address —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, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth. The world will little note or 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. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. For the brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. 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— Four score and seven years ago our forefathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Yeah…it’s Johnny Cash reading the Gettysburg Address
35 Election of 1864 Meanwhile, Lincoln faced a tough re-election in 1864 against General George McClellan: War failures were a key issue Radical Republicans considered dropping Lincoln from the ticket But, when Atlanta fell during Sherman’s “March to the Sea,” Lincoln regained support and was overwhelmingly reelected In his 2nd inaugural address, Lincoln promised a Reconstruction Plan for the Union with “malice towards none & charity for all”
36 Union Gains in the Civil War by 1865In April 1865, Grant faced off with Lee outside Richmond; Lee was cut off from the South
37 On April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, ending the fighting of Civil War
38 The Death of Lincoln Northern celebration was short lived; On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was shot by pro-Southerner John Wilkes Booth
39 Effects of the War
40 Effects of the War Social changes: 618,000 troops were deadWomen in both the North & South were forced to take on more non-domestic roles 13th Amendment ended slavery Nativism decreased as many immigrants fought in Civil War
41 Ended the Southern argument over nullification & states’ rightsEffects of the War Ended the Southern argument over nullification & states’ rights Political changes: The Civil War established that the national gov’t is supreme over the states With no Southern opposition, Republicans passed new laws: Homestead Act (1862), Morrill Act (1862), a protective tariff, land grants to RR companies, & a national banking system gave free land to western settlers created new colleges
42 Conclusions The turning point of the war: 1863The Civil War began as a conflict “to preserve the Union,” but by 1863 it became a war for human liberty (Emancipation Proclamation was issued) The South dominated the early campaigns of the war due, but by 1863 (Gettysburg) the weight of Northern industry & population wore down the South
43 Class Discussion Was the decision by Southern states to secede the best choice? What was the problem? In teams, brainstorm possible alternatives to secession the South could have taken in 1861 Would a legal argument in the Supreme Court (that the states agreed to join the Union & could leave at any time) have been more effective than its military tactic?