TCI Civil War Flashcards

2 hrs so yeah have fun *sob*

Abraham Lincoln's Response to Fort Sumter

Called for 75,000 volunteers to preserve the Union.

Jefferson Davis's Response to Fort Sumter

Called for volunteers to defend the South.

Population Advantage (North vs. South)

The North had a significantly larger population (around 22 million) compared to the South (around 9 million).

Manufacturing and Economic Advantage (North vs. South)

The North had about 90% of the nation's manufacturing and most of its banks, making it richer and more technologically advanced.

Geographic Advantages of the North

More farms for food, most of the country's iron, coal, copper, and gold, control of the seas, and more extensive railroad tracks.

Greatest Weakness of the North at the Start of the War

Lack of effective military leadership; many experienced officers resigned to join the South.

Greatest Strength of the South at the Start of the War

Strong military leadership; many of the best American military officers were Southerners.

Robert E. Lee

Resigned from the U.S. Army to become commander in chief of the Confederate forces, despite initially opposing secession.

Geographic Advantages of the South

Sheer size of the territory, making it difficult for the North to conquer. Could win by simply defending its territory.

Important Geographic Disadvantage of the South

If the Union gained control of the Mississippi River, it would divide the Confederacy in two.

Main Weaknesses of the South

Economy was agriculturally based and couldn't support a long war; few factories to produce military supplies; lacked extensive railroads for transportation.

Abraham Lincoln's View of the Union

Believed the Union was perpetual and never to be broken, linking its preservation to the ideals of the American Revolution.

Jefferson Davis's View of the Confederacy's Cause

Believed the South was asserting a right to freedom similar to that declared in the Declaration of Independence.

The Anaconda Plan

Union war strategy to: 1) Blockade the South by sea, 2) Divide the Confederacy into sections via rivers, 3) Capture Richmond.

Rose O'Neal Greenhow

Confederate spy in Washington, D.C., who used her social connections to gather information and deliver it to the South.

The Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

First major battle of the Civil War, a Confederate victory that showed the war would not be quick or easy for the North.

"Stonewall" Jackson

Confederate general who earned his nickname at the Battle of Bull Run for his regiment's firm resistance.

Women's Roles During the Civil War

Took over farms and businesses, worked in factories, became nurses, teachers, government workers, and served as messengers, guides, scouts, smugglers, soldiers, and spies.

Dorothea Dix

Appointed director of the Union army's nursing service, known for her strict rules for nurses ("Dragon Dix").

Clara Barton

Followed Union armies into battle to tend to the wounded, later became known as the founder of the American Red Cross ("the angel of the battlefield").

The Union Blockade

Step one of the Anaconda Plan, aimed at cutting off the South's trade by sea.

Capture of New Orleans (1862)

Union Admiral David Farragut led a large fleet up the Mississippi River, and the city surrendered without a fight.

Ulysses S. Grant

Union general who won key victories in the West, known for demanding unconditional surrender.

The Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg, 1862)

The bloodiest single day of the war; a Union victory that prompted Lincoln to take steps toward ending slavery.

Impact of Improved Weaponry in the Civil War

Rifles and improved cannons made killing from a distance easier, leading to high casualty rates and often indecisive battles.

Medical Conditions During the Civil War

Lack of understanding of infection, unsanitary conditions, and basic surgical practices led to high death rates from disease.

The Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863)

Declared all enslaved people in Confederate states to be free; changed the war into a crusade for freedom for many in the North.

The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863)

A major Union victory in Pennsylvania; marked the turning point of the war, after which Lee waged a defensive war.

Pickett's Charge

A failed Confederate all-out attack on the center of the Union line on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Technological Firsts of the Civil War

First American war to use railroads for troop and supply movement, telegraphs for communication, photography for documentation, and combat between ironclad steamships.

The Merrimac (Virginia) and the Monitor

Famous battle between Confederate and Union ironclad ships; demonstrated the superiority of ironclads over wooden vessels.

The Siege of Vicksburg (May-July 1863)

Union victory that gave the North control of the entire Mississippi River and divided the Confederacy in two.

Conditions on the Confederate Home Front Late in the War

Grim due to the Union blockade, lack of imported goods, high prices, food shortages, and destroyed infrastructure.

African Americans in the Union Army

About 186,000 enlisted, fighting in segregated units and initially receiving unequal pay and treatment but fought with great courage.

The Massachusetts 54th Regiment

Famous black Union regiment that protested unequal pay and fought bravely at Fort Wagner.

General William Tecumseh Sherman

Union general who implemented a strategy of "total war" in Georgia and the Carolinas.

Sherman's March to the Sea

Sherman's army marched through Georgia from Atlanta to Savannah, destroying anything of value to the Confederacy.

Ulysses S. Grant's Strategy as Union Commander

Aggressive strategy of constantly attacking the enemy ("Find out where your enemy is… strike at him… and keep moving on.").

Total War

Military strategy aimed at destroying the enemy's will to fight and its ability to support an army, including targeting civilian resources.

Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)

The location where Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.