The Civil War Why Fought How Fought Results

The Civil War Why Fought? How Fought? Results or Consequences? Impact on the Homefront?

I. Formation of the Confederacy • Secession of the Deep South • New Confederate government • Confederate Constitution (Feb. , 1861) • A Conservative Revolution

II. The Question of War

A. Compromise Fails • Crittenden Compromise • Lincoln’s Response • Willard Hotel Peace Conference (Feb. , 1861) • Proposed 13 th Amendment to the Constitution

B. Firing on Fort Sumter • Lincoln’s Inauguration • Challenges facing the new President • Four southern forts still in Union hands • Shelling of Sumter • Lincoln calls for 90 day enlistments • Upper South secedes

C. Border State Loyalty? • • Kentucky Maryland Missouri Delaware

III. Assessing the Two Contenders • Northern Advantages? --industrial might --population size --railroad mileage --better navy • Southern Advantages? --familiar ground --stronger motivation --defensive tactics --better military leadership at first

IV. Northern Military Strategy • Direct Strike at Richmond --Manassas, Peninsula Campaign, Cold Harbor • “Anaconda Plan” • Two-Front war to put both strategies into action

V. Mobilizing the Home Fronts • Volunteers at first—a draft later • Reliance on private industry • Feeding the troops on both sides • Attempts to pay for the war: North and South • Southern railroad difficulties

V. Mobilizing the Home Front (cont) • Early problems with discipline of troops • A “rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight” • The problem of local regiments • War disrupted the lives of most civilians

VI. Analysis of Presidents • Some doubt about Lincoln’s leadership abilities • Reasons for Lincoln’s effectiveness • Lincoln allowed dissent • Davis’ liabilities as a leader

VII. Life in the Civil War Army

A. A Soldier’s Experience • Life of tedium • Poor medical conditions • Food complaints • Southern veterans make up for fewer numbers • “Seeing the Elephant”

A. A Soldier’s Experience (cont. ) • A “Brothers War” • Early problems with fraternization between the two armies • Constant battle with lice • Importance of letter writing • Premonitions of death

B. The Changing Face of Battle • Early Union naval victories • Lincoln’s Early Search for a General who can produce victories • Turning Point Victories in 1863 • Grant’s Victory at Chattanooga

B. Changing Face of Battle (cont. ) • Sherman’s March on Atlanta and then his March to the Sea • The early face of battle: First Manassas (Bull Run)—July, 1861 -- “The Great Skedaddle”

B. Changing Face of Battle (cont. ) • Changes in Weaponry • Battles late in the War: Cold Harbor—June, 1864 • Grant’s Strategy in 1864 -1865 -- “The Butcher” • Changing Notion of Courage

VIII. Foreign Diplomacy • Southerners employ a voluntary embargo on cotton • Europeans waiting on a crucial southern victory • Europeans fear with the U. S. and need northern wheat • French invasion of Mexico in 1863

IX. The African-American War Experience • Timing of the Emancipation Proclamation • Lincoln’s justification of emancipation • Slavery was already falling apart in the south • Running away to Union lines • Word reaches southern slaves of emancipation

IX. African-American War Experience (cont. ) • 54 th Massachusetts Regiment --Robert Gould Shaw --Assault on Fort Wagner • Pay and activities of the Black soldiers • Dangers facing Black soldiers --Battle of the Crater outside of Petersburg, Va.

IX. African-American Experience (cont. ) • Emancipation Proclamation and using northern Black soldiers turned the war into a racial revolution • Northern racism declines • Southern organization of Black troops

X. War as Social Disorder • Civil War ruined southern economy and society based on the institution of slavery • Guerilla warfare in the south • Southern bread riots in the spring of 1863 • New York City Draft Riot of July, 1863

XI. Election of 1864 and Final Days of the War • The Election of 1864 • Grant’s Siege of Petersburg • Importance of Sherman’s Capture of Atlanta • The end at Appomattox Court House

XI. Final Days of the War (cont. ) • Lincoln’s Assassination at Fords Theater in Washington, D. C. on April 14, 1865 • Surrender of Fort Sumter to the U. S. on the same day • First occupation troops to Charleston, S. C. in February of 1865 were Black troops

XII. Effects of the War • Temporary gain for women --U. S. Sanitary Commission --Nurses like Clara Barton • Freedom for Blacks, but still a long way to go • Decrease in Nativism • States Rights was dead— Federal Authority expanded • Northern “organizational revolution”