The Civil War(1861-1865)

Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln1809-18651809-1865

Born in a log cabin in Kentucky

Had less than a year of formal schooling

Moved to Indiana, then Illinois

Storekeeper, rail-splitter; studied law in free time

Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln1809-18651809-1865

Served in Illinois legislature (1834-1841)

Elected to U.S. House as a Whig for one term (1847-49)

Ran against Stephen A. Douglas (unsuccessfully) for Senate in 1858 as Republican

Elected sixteenth president in 1860

Jefferson DavisJefferson Davis(1808-1889)(1808-1889)

Served in the House of Representatives (1845-1846) from Mississippi

Military experience in the Mexican War

Served in the U.S. Senate (1847-51)

Served as Secretary of War (1853-1857)

Jefferson DavisJefferson Davis(1808-1889)(1808-1889)

Well-read and intellectually sharp

Equated compromise with weakness

Was not congenialDid not relate well to

peopleTook offense easily

Robert E. LeeRobert E. Lee(1807-1870)(1807-1870)

Opposed secessionOffered command of

Union armyUnwilling to take up

arms against his native Virginia

Defeated at Antietam, Gettysburg and Petersburg

Crittendon CompromiseCrittendon CompromiseDecember 18, 1860December 18, 1860

Proposed by Senator John Crittendon (KT) to prevent secession

Consisted of six constitutional amendments

Extended Missouri Compromise line all the way to the Pacific

Senator John Crittendon

Crittendon CompromiseCrittendon CompromiseDecember 18, 1860December 18, 1860

Allowed slavery South of the line

Denied Congress the right to abolish slavery

Opposed by President-elect Lincoln

Defeated in committee

Senator John Crittendon

Fort SumterFort SumterApril 12, 1861April 12, 1861

Charleston harbor, South Carolina

The Confederate firing on the fort signals the beginning of the war.

Northern advantagesNorthern advantages

North was much more populated than the South (more soldiers)

Most of the nation’s industry was in the North

More infrastructure (railroads, etc.)

Northern ships could place naval blockade on cotton exports

Northern disadvantagesNorthern disadvantages

Bad generals (McClellan)

Southern advantagesSouthern advantagesBetter generals (Lee, Jackson, Stuart)Sense that South was defending its own

soilSense that South was upholding the “tru

e” legacy of the American Revolution

Thomas ( “Stonewall”)Jackson

Robert E. Lee(in his youth)

JEB Stuart

Southern disadvantagesSouthern disadvantagesDid not possess enough

resourcesCould not develop a “national

consciousness” distinct from the North (too similar to the nation they had renounced)

Had a disagreeable and ineffectual leader

The Delusions of WarThe Delusions of War

Both sides thought their side could win easily

Both expected the war to end in a couple of months

Both sides were enthusiastic and optimistic at the start of the war

First battles saw picnickers out to see the battles

““Border statesBorder states”” Slave states on the “border”

of the Union free states The Union managed to keep

key states in the Union Virginia, Tennessee, and

North Carolina seceded Kentucky, Missouri and

Maryland did not West Virginia (by not

seceding), becomes its own state

Britain considers Britain considers supporting Confederacysupporting Confederacy

Bitter over past military defeats at the hands of Americans (Revolution, War of 1812)

Southern aristocratic rituals appealed to many Englishmen

England was a major purchaser of Southern cotton

Trent AffairTrent AffairJanuary, 1861January, 1861

A U.S. naval vessel intercepted a British ship "Trent" and removed two Confederate envoys, John Slidell and James Mason.

This was a clear violation of international law.

The British objected and threatened war.

The crisis passed when Lincoln released the two Confederates.

AlabamaAlabama claims claims1862-18721862-1872

Confederates contracted with British for warships.

Disguised as merchant ships. Commerce raiders. Most successful was the Alabama, launched

in 1862, sunk in 1864. Captured 58 northern merchant ships

Together the cruisers sunk 150 Northern ships

U.S. demanded compensation from Britain after the war

1st Confiscation Act1st Confiscation Act18611861

Gave the government the right to seize any slaves used for “insurrectionary purposes.”

This and the 2nd Confiscation Act of 1862 were not enforced, but…

Were precursors to the Emancipation Proclamation

military conscriptionmilitary conscription(1862(1862))

Both sides were forced to institute a “draft”

The Confederate enacted the first general draft in American history (Spring, 1862)

Almost two years before the North did the same

““rich manrich man’’s war,s war,but a poor boybut a poor boy’’s fights fight””

Certain occupations were exempted from the Union’s draft

Rich draftees could pay for “substitutes” (which working-class Northerners resented)

Very few Southern plantation owners were drafted (which angered poor Southerners)

Clara BartonClara Barton

Who is she?Why is she significant?

2nd Confiscation Act2nd Confiscation ActJuly, 1862July, 1862

Allowed government to liberate any slave owned by someone who supported the rebellion and who did not surrender within 60 days of the Act’s passage

Even if “support” was limited to paying taxes to the Confederate government

Declared all slaves taking refuge behind Union lines to be captives of war (and then freed)

In effect, gave Union the right to liberate all slaves Had little effect, since Lincoln refused to enforce it

Antietam (Maryland)Antietam (Maryland)September, 1862September, 1862

Known as the Battle of Sharpsburg to South

Robert E. Lee vs. George McClellan

Lee forced to retreat back into Virginia

Antietam (Maryland)Antietam (Maryland)September, 1862September, 1862

Bloodiest single day of fighting in American history

Close victory for the Union army

Gave Lincoln the opportunity to announce emancipation

MathewMathewBradyBrady

The Civil War:the first

“photographed” war

Mathew Brady, photographer

Emancipation Emancipation ProclamationProclamation

January 1, 1863January 1, 1863 Military order

declared all slaves in states fighting against the Union to be freed

Slaves in border states not affected

Allowed blacks to enlist in the Union army

Emancipation Emancipation ProclamationProclamationJanuary, 1863January, 1863

Enlistment of blacks strengthened North’s forces

Weakened possibility of British involvement, since majority of British opposed slavery

Proclamation later extended by the Thirteenth Amendment

New YorkNew Yorkdraft riotsdraft riots

18631863 One of many disturbances throughout the

country after the Emancipation Proclamation. Protested use laws that allowed “substitutes” Poor people couldn’t afford the fees Riot in NY lasted from July 13 to 18 Resulted in burning of buildings (including an

orphanage for black children) Killed and wounded hundreds of people,

mostly innocent African Americans

Morrill Act (1862)Morrill Act (1862)

Grants states (who remained in the Union) more than 17 million acres of land.

States sold the land for profit Profits used to create colleges for agriculture

and mechanical acts Schools provided instruction in business and

agriculture, opening up higher education to larger part of the population

Established over 70 colleges and universities (many the first in their state)

National Banking System National Banking System (1863)(1863)

Designed to establish a standard currency (because country was flooded with unreliable currency.

Banks that joined the “system” could buy government bonds and issue sound paper money

Logic: standard currency would encourage sale of government bonds to pay for the war

First step toward unified banking system since Jackson killed the bank in 1836.

Provides banking system that is spur to post-war industrial development (lasts until 1913)

African-American TroopsAfrican-American Troops

200,000 fought in the Union military

Thirst for freedom made them formidable fighters

54th Regiment (Glory)

Fought gallantly at Fort Wagner

Gettysburg (PA)Gettysburg (PA)July 1-3, 1863July 1-3, 1863

Turning point in the Civil War

Lee’s second invasion of the North

Robert E. Lee vs. General George Meade

Gettysburg AddressGettysburg AddressNovember 19, 1863November 19, 1863

Delivered by Lincoln at dedication for national cemetery

Featured speaker, Edward Everett, gave a two-hour speech

Lincoln’s was less than two minutes

Gettysburg AddressGettysburg AddressNovember 19, 1863November 19, 1863

Ten sentencesMost famous speech in U.S. historyRecast the principles of American

governmentThat “government of the people, by

the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth”

Proclamation of AmnestyProclamation of Amnestyand Reconstructionand ReconstructionDecember 8, 1863December 8, 1863

Issued 18 months before end of the war

Outlined lenient policy for Reconstruction

Way to repatriate secessionists

Full pardon for those who swore oath of loyalty

Proclamation of AmnestyProclamation of Amnestyand Reconstructionand ReconstructionDecember 8, 1863December 8, 1863

Made clear who wouldn’t be pardoned

Provided guidelines for systematic re-establishment of state governments

Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant18641864

Started in the West (where control of the Mississippi River) was key

Wise strategy of combining land and sea attacks

Habeas corpusHabeas corpussuspendedsuspended

Lincoln suspends the constitutional right of habeas corpus

ShermanSherman’’s Marchs March18641864

General William Sherman's army captured Atlanta in September, 1864

Began marching toward Savannah on the Georgia coast, ravaging everything in its path.

”March to the sea" was designed to defeat the enemy's forces, destroy its economic resources, and break its will to resist. “scorched earth”

Special Field OrderSpecial Field OrderNo. 15No. 15

William Tecumseh Sherman

“Forty acres and a mule”

Special Field OrderSpecial Field OrderNo. 15No. 15

African-American movie director, Spike Lee

RadicalRadicalRepublicansRepublicans

Republican members of Congress dissatisfied with policies of Lincoln and Johnson after the war

Strong abolitionistsBelieved in punitive Reconstruction

termsThaddeus Stevens in the HouseCharles Sumner and Benjamin Wade

in the Senate

““copperheadscopperheads”” Group of Northern Democrats who

opposed the Civil War and wanted an immediate peace settlement

Aka “Peace Democrats” Strongest in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois Argument: The war is not worth the

cost in human lives to force Confederate surrender

Tactics: Encouraged Union soldiers to desert, assisted escape of Confederate prisoners, smuggled guns and ammunition into the South

Election of 1864Election of 1864 Radical Republicans were afraid of defeat—talked

of replacing Lincoln someone more anti-slavery Republican Party appeared as National Union

Party Selected Tennessee military governor Andrew

Johnson as running mate Democrats nominate George McClellan for

president on a “peace” platform Lincoln won (Union victories and soldiers were

allowed to return home to vote)

“Don’t swap horses in midstream.”

Assassination ofAssassination ofAbraham Lincoln (1865)Abraham Lincoln (1865)

What happened?Why was this significant?

Results (Human Costs)Results (Human Costs)

Nearly as many Americans died in the Civil War as have died in all wars the U.S. has fought—approximately 620,000

North lost 360,000South lost one-fourth of its soldiers

(many from disease)

Results (Economic Costs)Results (Economic Costs)

South was devastated (livestock, farms, factories, railroads destroyed)

Military operations tore up huge land areas

Labor system ended in chaosThousands of civilians were refugeesTowns and cities lay in ruinsSouth did not fully recover until 20C

Results (Positive)Results (Positive)Spurred industrial development in the

North (petroleum, steel, food-processing, manufacturing)

Northern victory established federal government precedence over states’ rights

Settled question of secessionBrought about abolition of slavery

(freeing 4 million people)