US History Study Guide: The Civil War

Modern U.S. History - Mr. McGuire (11th gr.) [Link to practice the 50 states: https://www.geoguessr.com/vgp/3003)

Abraham Lincoln

16th President (2 term) of the United States during the Civil War; man most responsible for emancipation and keeping the Union together.

Jefferson Davis

President of the Confederate States of America during Civil War; politician, general in Mexican War.

Robert E. Lee

Most famous confederate general (Virginia area) between VA and PA; commander of Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.

Ulysses S. Grant

Union general—Republican (18th President of the USA: 2-term president). Captain in the military. He had so much success that he became a general. In the last year of the war (he commanded ALL), he took protecting the rights of African Americans seriously

Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson

Important Confederate general; always "out front" (on the front line); nickname: Stonewall; died in the battle of Chancler.

William T. Sherman

Second most important Union general, father of TOTAL war; he loved destruction! Commanded army that defeated confederate in South (Atlanta - Georgia).

Confederacy

The confederate states of the South; 11 states (South Carolina was first state)
-Montgomery, Alabama (1st Confederate Capital)
-Richmond, Virgina (Settled Confederate Capital after Montgomery)

Crittenden Compromise

Proposal to avert the war; wants to put in the constitution to NEVER abolish slavery; Lincoln rejects.

Anaconda Plan

Union's strategy name for winning the Civil War.
The Plan: naval blockade on the Confederate states, gain control of the Mississippi River, divide confederacy Tennessee, capturing Richmond (the capital of the Confederacy)

Habeas Corpus

Latin term for "right"
-Your's right to challenge the state of reason to defend their arrest. Lincoln restricts the freedom; many were arrested.

First Battle of Bull Run

First "real" battle of the Civil War: also called 1st Battle of Manassas, in Virginia.
-involved many casualties.

Battle of Antietam

Battle in Maryland.
-Bloodiest battle in 1 day- 23,000 casualties.
-September 17, 1862
-Issued Emancipation Proclamation (from the Union win)
-Robert E. Lee was invading the North.

Emancipation Proclamation

Document issued that all slaves in areas of rebellion (legal authority to end slavery in those areas) Not all areas.Made impossible for British to help the confederacy.

Battle of Gettysburg

Turning point of the War that made it clear the North would win. Bloodiest battle (3 day battle)- 51,000 casualties.

Attrition

A wearing down over time; diminish, reduce, wear down the enemy by reducing them.

Siege of Vicksburg

July 3, 1863- port on the Mississippi River.
-"Bombard in Warfare;" Ulysses S. Grant takes the Confederate believed the Union could not take because of geological land. Union won it all (Vicksburg and Mississippi River); Same day won as Gettysburg Battle.

George C. McClellan

General/Commander of the Union Army of potomac (Gettysburg)
-organize and train the army (Union)
-not aggressive'
-democratic party elect against Lincoln in 1861

John Wilkes Booth

Assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Stage actor (entertainer); supporter of confederacy.

Appomattox Courthouse

Where civil war ended where Robert E. Lee surrendered.
in rural Virginia.

Andrew Johnson

17th President of the United States, after Lincoln; (democrat) from Tennessee; loyal to the Union.
-not a good president, ineffective in providing.

Thirteenth Amendment

First time slavery in constitution; abolished slavery

Fourteenth Amendment

Most important; made all African Americans be citizens of the USA.

Fifteenth Amendment

Guarantees all African American men the right to vote.

Carpetbagger

Someone from north (move) to the south; that wanted power.

Scalawag

Someone who support the Union from the South cooperated with reconstruction.

Black Codes

Segregation; controlling employment of African Americans.
-limit economic activities.
-tried to make them farmers ONLY.

Radical Republicans

Republicans that wanted to help African Americans who have been freed (GOOD).
-(BAD) severe punishments to those who supported the Confederacy.

Reconstruction

The time period the Union runs the South; military construction over states that had rebelled (1865-1877); North occupies the South.

Freedman's Bureau

government agency founded during Reconstruction to help former slaves; with jobs $$$, not starve, welfare.

Compromise of 1877

Reconstruction ends
-Deal between Republicans vs Democrats.
-President election; congress decided who won.
-Democrats got no more reconstruction (southern states get to govern themselves)

Key Questions: Why did the Union win?

-Slaves as soldiers (south did not use); more people.
-Move potential trades.
-Skillful navy.
-African Americans in the North could help.
-Better schools in North so smarter, artillery, generals, engineering.
-More manufacturing.
-More food.
-Better political leadership.

Key Questions: Could secession have been avoided?

-Yes.
-Condition of letting slavery be allowed.
-They chose to fight (South, they wanted slavery)

Key Questions: How did the confederacy's constitution differ from the U.S. constitution?

-President election (1- 6 year term: no reelection)
-Taxes on imports were banned
-Veto
-Congress was prohibited from ever impairing "right of property of slaves"
-No immigrants had right to vote.
-2/3 vote to spend money by house/senate- -governed by the Confederate government.

Key Questions: What was the confederacy's strategy for victory?

Never had a grand plan.
-Lee's approach- win a major battle in Union; northern state lead to political battle pref. PA.
-Davis- not fight big battles, support from other countries to override the Union.

Key Questions: What were President Lincoln's most important political choices that helped to preserve the Union?

-Final right generals who could use the North advantages in men and resources by engaging enemy and winning battles.
-Raising army (volunteers) willing to be trained and die for the union.
-Making American economy meet tremendous war needs.
-Destroying democratic freedoms; enable peace with war (finish it).

Key Questions: What was the Emancipation Proclamation? Why was it issued?

Military order; person's who are enslaved (rebels) are "war contraband"- to be used then freed.
-any area that Union conquerors slavery is no longer a thing.
-wanted to be champions of human freedom; make a difference for british government to help confederacy; piece will be in place to really end slavery.

Key Questions: How were civil liberties curtailed during the Civil War?

-Rights reduced during war.
-Had people arrested till the officer wanted them released.
-Government censored telegraphs (troop movements)
-Newspapers (shut down) or editors (arrested)
-Speech by Lincoln (abolish slavery; democracy violate form of the Union)

Key Questions: Who served in each side's military? What motivated men to fight?

BOTH:
-white men 18-40s
-Harvard men (smart)
-immigrants
-African Americans ended the war; and joined to help the Union.
-Average age 26.
-Possible purchase a substitute to fight instead of you.
MOTIVATION:
-Everything; boredom, sense of duty, did not wish to be called a "coward", "why not?"
-There was a draft, but most people VOLUNTEERED.

Key Questions: What were the most important battles of the War?

-First Battle of Bull Run (1861)
-Antietam (1862)
-Gettysburg Battle (1863)
-Fall of Atlanta (1864)- trying to seize Atlanta.
-Siege of Vicksburg (1863)- trying to seize the port at Vicksburg.

Key Questions: How did the Constitution change as a result of the Civil War?

Added 3 new amendments: (general reminder)
13th- abolishes slavery
14th- grants citizenship to African Americans- VERY important (protects African Americans in the future).
15th- supposed to grant African American men the right to vote.

Key Questions: What were the successes and failures of Reconstruction?

Reconstruction (1865-1877) of the United States; politically and physically:
Failure: Individual rights of African Americans in the South were taken away.
Success: There was not another civil war;
-For 12 years (+) African Americans could vote, then changed but still had 12 years.
-Permitted African Americans to have OWN communities in South, for example (black churches).
-DID NOT DELIVER AS MUCH AS LINCOLN HAD HOPED!

KNOW WHERE THE 50 UNITED STATES of AMERICA ARE ON THE MAP :

(ALL OF THE STATES: in alphabetical order)
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.