Lesson 16.1: War Erupts

Today’s Essential Question: What important decisions did President Lincoln have to make in

the first few weeks of the Civil War?

Vocabulary• dilemma – a difficult problem with two

equally undesirable solutions• militia – group of volunteers who serve in

their state’s military during emergencies• border states – slave states that hadn’t

seceded yet• strength – a skill or an advantage• strategy – long-term plan for success• agrarian – having to do with agriculture or

farming

Check for Understanding• What is today’s Essential Question?• What is a dilemma?

What is a militia?

What is a border state?

What is one of your strengths?

What is a strategy?

What is an agrarian economy?

What We Already Learned

The election of 1860, which Abraham Lincoln won, showed how slavery had divided the country.

Read aloud with me!

What We Already Learned

After Lincoln’s election, seven Southern states seceded and by

February 1861 had formed the

Confederate States of America.

What We Already Learned

In his inaugural address, Lincoln reassured the South that he had no

intention of interfering with slavery, but also spoke

forcefully against secession.

What We Already Learned• Lincoln would not abandon federal forts in the

South, including Fort Sumter in South Carolina. • These forts would soon need to be resupplied.

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1. How did the secession of the Southern states confirm the fears Lincoln had expressed in

his “House Divided” speech?

A. The powers of the House of Representatives would have to be increased.

B. It demonstrated that Congress was too weak to deal with the nation's problems.

C. It showed how the issue of slavery was threatening the Union.

D. It meant slavery would have to be outlawed in the United States.

Read aloud with me!

First Shots at Fort Sumter• Fort Sumter was running out of supplies.

First Shots at Fort Sumter• Fort Sumter was running out of supplies.• Lincoln decided to send supply ships to Fort

Sumter.

First Shots at Fort Sumter• Fort Sumter was running out of supplies.• Lincoln decided to send supply ships to Fort

Sumter.• Confederate commander P.G.T. Beauregard’s

shore guns fired on the fort for 34 hours.

First Shots at Fort Sumter• Fort Sumter was running out of supplies.• Lincoln decided to send supply ships to Fort

Sumter.• Confederate commander P.G.T. Beauregard's

shore guns fired on the fort for 34 hours.• The fort commander Major Robert Anderson was forced to surrender.

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2. Where were the first shots of the Civil War fired?

• The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter.

Lincoln Calls Out the Militia

Two days after the surrender of Fort Sumter, President Lincoln asked the

Union states to provide 75,000

militiamen for 90 days to put down the uprising in the

South.

Lincoln Calls Out the Militia

Lincoln’s call for 75,000 state militia troops for 90 days led to enthusiasm

in the North.

Many responded with

excitement, relief, or

eagerness. Some feared

the war would be over before

they got a chance to fight.

Lincoln Calls Out the Militia

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3. Which seven states were the first to secede to form the Confederacy?

Which one is NOT included?

3. Which seven states were the first to secede to form the Confederacy?

A. South CarolinaB. MississippiC. KentuckyD. FloridaE. AlabamaF. GeorgiaG. LouisianaH. Texas

Which one is NOT included?

Lincoln Calls Out the Militia

• Southern states that had not yet seceded reacted with shock and anger to this decision.

• They thought Lincoln’s call for troops was evil and aggressive.

Lincoln Calls Out the MilitiaVirginia, North

Carolina, Tennessee, and

Arkansas voted to join the

Confederacy.

Lincoln Calls Out the MilitiaAs in the North, Southern volunteers also rushed to

enlist, with many fearing the war would be over before they could join the fight.

Virginia’s Secession

• With Virginia on its side, the Confed-eracy had a much better chance for victory.

• The Confederacy was strengthened by Virginia’s wealth, population, and prestige.

Virginia’s Secession

In recognition of Virginia’s

importance, the Confederacy

moved its capital to Richmond.

Lee’s Decision

• Lincoln prepared for the war by offering command of all Union forces to the talented general, Robert E. Lee.

• Unwilling to fight against his home state, Lee resigned from the U.S. Army and offered his services to the Confederacy.

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4. Why was Virginia important to the Confederacy?

A. It was home to many important factories.B. It was a large and wealthy state.C. It was the home of the talented general,

Robert E. Lee.D. Its mountains and valleys served as a

protective barrier for the Confederate capital in Charleston.

Choose all that are true!

5. Why did Robert E. Lee decide to fight for the Confederacy ?

A. He did not support the idea of the Union.

B. He hoped to serve in the Confederate government some day.

C. He refused to fight against his home state.

D. He wanted to keep using slaves on his plantation.

Choosing Sides

• It was important to Lincoln that the border states did not secede.

• Border states were slave states that bordered the North and had not yet seceded.

Choosing Sides

The location and resources of the

border states made them

pivotal in tipping the scales to one side or the other.

Choosing Sides

• Maryland was of great concern.

• If Maryland seceded, then Washington, D.C., would be cut off from the rest of the Union.

Choosing Sides• Lincoln sent in troops

and ordered the arrest of Maryland politicians who were sympathetic to the South.

Choosing Sides• Lincoln sent in troops

and ordered the arrest of Maryland politicians who were sympathetic to the South.

• Because of Lincoln’s decisive actions, both Maryland and Delaware stayed in the Union.

• Kentucky was deeply divided over secession.

• Its rivers could provide an invasion route into the South, or provide a barrier for the South.

• An 1861 invasion by Confederate troops convinced the state to stay in the Union.

Choosing Sides

Choosing Sides• Western Virginia, with the help of Union

troops, broke away from Virginia and returned to the Union.

Choosing Sides• In Missouri, Union troops and local unionists

fought against secessionists. • In the end, Missouri also stayed in the Union.

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6. Why were the border states important to both sides?

A. Their location and resources made them pivotal in tipping the scales to one side or the other.

B. They contained most of the people and wealth of the country.

C. They believed in secession, but did not recognize slavery.

D. Many European immigrants lived there, and could influence the support of European nations.

7. Which border state was formed when it seceded from a Confederate state?

A. North CarolinaB. North DakotaC. West Virginia D. New JerseyE. Arkansas

7. Which border state was formed when it seceded from a Confederate state?

A. North CarolinaB. North DakotaC. West Virginia D. New JerseyE. Arkansas

Strengths and Weaknesses

Population• Union population: 22 million (71%)• Confederate population: 9 million (29%);

3.5 million were slaves

Industrial capacity

• About 85% of all factories were in the North. • Factories: 119,500 to 20,600• Factory workers : 1,198,000 to 111,000• An industrial economy is invigorated by

war, and an agrarian economy is devastated by war.

Railroad system• 21,847 miles in the North vs. 8,947 miles

in the South (71% to 29%)• Much of the southern rail lines had

different gauges, meaning that each train could only run on a specific track size.

An established navy • Nearly all shipyards were in the North.• Most naval officers were Northerners.• The Union would be able to blockade the

Confederate coastline.

Established government• Confederacy began with neither a national

government nor constitution• Lincoln’s leadership

Military tradition & leadership

• More of the most experienced and able commanders were from the South.

• Most Southern men could ride and shoot well.

• The South had always had a military school tradition.

Location

• Most battles would have to be fought in the South.

• Confederates would have knowledge of the land.

• Southerners would be close to their supply lines.

Motivation

• Northern reasons for fighting (e.g., preserving the Union) were vague.

• Southerners fought to defend their homes and way of life.

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8. What were the strengths of the

Union when the war began?

A. More people and factories

B. Talented generalsC. Strong public supportD. An established navyE. An established gov-

ernmentF. Better motivation

Choose ALL that are true!

9. What were the Confederacy’s strengths at the beginning of the war ?

A. An established navy B. Military tradition and

leadershipC. Defensive strategyD. More railroadsE. Better motivationF. Good relations with

foreign countriesG. Presidential leadership

Choose ALL that are true!

The Confederate Strategy• At first, a defensive strategy • No need to invade or conquer your enemy:

just survive until Northerners grew tired of the war and accept Southern independence

• Use “king Cotton” to gain foreign assistance

The Confederate Strategy

“King Cotton” referred to cotton’s importance to the South and to the world’s

economy.

The Confederate Strategy‘King Cotton’ was withheld from the market as

a way to win foreign support.

The Confederate Strategy

• Unfortunately for the Confederacy, European nations had surplus cotton in their warehouses.

The Confederate Strategy

• Unfortunately for the Confederacy, European nations had surplus cotton in their warehouses.

• Most nations did not want to get involved in a foreign war.

The Confederate Strategy

• Unfortunately for the Confederacy, European nations had surplus cotton in their warehouses.

• Most nations did not want to get involved in a foreign war.

• Britain had begun cultivating cotton in its colonies in India.

The Confederate Strategy

As the war went on, the South began to take the offensive, hoping to wreck

Northern morale by winning big

victories.

The Union Strategy• General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan

The Union Strategy• General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan• A naval blockade of the South’s coastline

The Union Strategy• General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan• A naval blockade of the South’s coastline• Union to split the Confederacy in two by

gaining control of the Mississippi River

The Union Strategy• General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan• A naval blockade of the South’s coastline• Union to split the Confederacy in two by

gaining control of the Mississippi River• Capture Richmond, the Confederate

capital• One drawback –it would take time to

work.

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10. Why did the Confederates believe that they would be helped by Britain?

A. They could increase cotton production as a form of bribery to foreign textile-producing nations.

B. They portrayed themselves as victims of Northern aggression and brutality.

C. They could withhold cotton from world markets, and force France and Britain to aid the Confederate cause.

D. They were lending money to foreign governments in an attempt to buy their assistance.

11. What were the three parts of the Union’s Anaconda Plan?

A. Withhold factory goods from Britain until we have their help in the war

B. Naval blockade of the South's coastlineC. Capture of the Confederate capital cityD. Union control of the Mississippi RiverE. Reliance upon European aid

Choose ALL that are true!

Battle of Bull Run

• To take Richmond, the railway center of Manassas, southwest of Washington, D.C., would have to be taken first.

• July 21, 1861, Union forces clashed with Confederate forces near a little creek called Bull Run.

Battle of Bull Run

General Irvin McDowell led Union forces against Confederates commanded by General Pierre

Beauregard.

Battle of Bull Run

The battle was confusing, due to the smoke, the noise, and the similarities in flags and uniforms

that day.

Battle of Bull Run

At first, Union troops outnumbered the Confederates and had the upper hand.

Battle of Bull Run

Fresh Confederate troops arrived by railroad, and the tide of battle began to turn.

Battle of Bull RunEventually, the Union troops broke ranks and

fled all the way back to Washington, D.C.

Battle of Bull Run• The Confederate victory

thrilled the South and many in the South thought the war was won.

• Lincoln sent the 90-day militias home and called for a real army of 500,000 volunteers for three years.

• It was beginning to look like it would be a long war.

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12. How did Lincoln react after the Battle of Bull Run?

A. He replaced General Meade with Ulysses S. Grant.

B. He considered resigning from the presidency.

C. He called for 500,000 volunteers to enlist for three years.

D. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation.