American Civil War (Full Study Guide)

Election of 1860

4 Person election between: Rep. Abe Lincoln, Northern Dem. Stephen Douglas, Southern Dem. V.P. John C Breckinridge, and Constitutional Union: John Bell. Democratic Party splits due to slavery = Lincoln wins election.

Secession

to leave the Union/United States of America.

Fort Sumter

1st engagement of the civil war. Federal fort in Charleston, SC. Lincoln did not want to give up or defend it just resupply with food. SC holds chances to either permit resupply or fire.

Confederate States of America

7 states of the deep south secede after Lincoln's election and 4 more of the Upper south follow after Fort Sumter.

Jefferson Davis

1st and only president of the Confederate states. Who had little authority. He did not have the power to tax.

Border states

Union controlled slave states (Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and West Virginia).

Robert E. Lee

Commander of the Confederate forces throughout the Civil War.

Copperheads

Northerners who wanted to break away with the South.

Conscription

The Implementation of the military draft. North Union.

Habeas Corpus

an arrested person must be brought charges within 48 hours and in front of a court/judge to hear their crimes.

War of Attrition

A style of warfare that is harsh and the only way to win is to outlast the opponent, wear them down over time.

The Anaconda Plan

Proposed by Windfield Scott which included: U.S navy blockade of southern ports to cut off essential supplies from reaching the South. Divide Confederacy in 2 by taking control of the Mississippi. Take over Richmond, VA.

Cotton Diplomacy

The confederacy attempts to coerce France and Britain to support them.

David D. Farragut

Union navy captain who captured New Orleans.

Ulysses S. Grant

Union general of the West who captured forts along the Mississippi helping cut the Confederacy in 2. Eventually made commander of all forces in the East in 1864. Goal was to outlast Lee with a war of attrition.

Battle of Antietam

September 1862 was the bloodiest single day battle of the American Civil War. In the entire battle 22,000 people died in one day.

Emancipation Proclamation

January 1,1863 freed slaves in rebellious states.

54th Massachusetts Infantry

First official African American unit for the North.

Clara Barton

She sent out nurses to assist in military hospitals and she later formed the red cross.

Andersonville Prison

Worst and most notorious of the Confederate States of America prison camps for the Union Prisoners of War.

Battle of Gettysburg

The turning point of the war. Bloodiest Battle of the War. Never again would the south have a chance to win the war or threaten the North. 50,000 people died.

Gettysburg Address

It was a dedication ceremony.

William Tecumseh Sherman

Was a union general and commander of the union army. His biggest drive was from Chanugo to Atlanta and Atlanta to Savannah.

Sherman's March to the Sea

Sherman takes his entire army and spreads them out and divides his army into 2 in a wall formation to Savannah. They looted the plantations and homes and burned everything down and slaughtered their livestock.

Total war

Sherman's 'total war' in Georgia was brutal and destructive, but it did just what it was supposed to do: it hurt Southern morale, made it impossible for the Confederates to fight at full capacity and likely hastened the end of the war.

Election of 1864

In the United States Presidential election of 1864, Abraham Lincoln was re-elected as president.

Appomattox Court House

April 9, 1865 Surrender of the Lee's Confed army and the unofficial end of the war.

John Wilkes Booth

Actor and southern sympathizer who assassinated Lincoln during a play at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.

First Battle of Bull Run / Manassas, V.A.

July 16th-21st, 1861

Confederate win

Because of the confederate win it caused the North to realize that it was not going to be a fast win

North realizes that they need more troops

Lincoln fires McDowell; replaced w/ McClellan

Battle of Antietam,

Sept. 16th-18th, 1862,

Originally a draw but Union win in the end

Showed that the Union was able to fight against the Confederacy

Bloodiest single day battle in C.W. (24,000 casualties)

1st time Lee tries to invade the North; forced back across Potomac R. in V.A. = fails to gain British recognition

McClellan does not pursue = Lincoln says "Case of the Slows" = FIRED!

What is the Emancipation Proclamation?

Said that slaves were free in rebellious states

Siege of Vicksburg,

May 18th-July 4th, 1863

Union win

Split the Confederacy and isolated Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas

Union gains control of Miss R.

Grant wins siege battle

Battle of Gettysburg,

July 1st-3rd, 1863

Union win

Had the biggest number of the whole war and is seen as the turning point in the war

Largest and most significant battle of the war = Turning Point of C.W.

Lee orders Pickett's Charge in an all out last attempt to break thru and win battle (this is his all-out moment)

Lincoln gives Gettysburg Address AFTER the battle

Sherman's March (to the Sea)

Nov 16-Dec 21??, 1864

Union win

To weaken the Confederacy's ability to wage a war

Union gen. William T. Sherman waits until Lincoln's election to take G.A.

Concept of "Total War" = burn/pillage EVERYTHING

Break the South's will to continue fighting

Appomattox Court House

April 1, 1865

Union win

Final battle of the Civil War and the Confederate army surrendered to the Union

Union is lenient on the South

Grant give generous terms

Union Advantages

Had more naval ships:25 to 1

Had more firearms:32 to 1

Had more people that were eligible for the military

Had more railroad mileage:31,000 miles

Had more Iron production: more manufactured goods, and factories

Had more farm acreage

Confederate Advantages

Had more West Point graduates who had high class ranks

They encouraged young boys to fight and got boys from the Mexican-American War

Had better export values:316 million