APUSH Period 5 (1861-1877)

Lincoln’s stance on slavery/emancipation/justifications for these stances

Initially, he prioritized preserving the Union over directly addressing slavery, but he viewed slavery as morally wrong and opposed its expansion into new territories. By issuing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, he shifted to framing the Civil War as a fight for both union and freedom, justifying emancipation as a military necessity to weaken the Confederacy and align the war effort with the principles of liberty and equality.

Border States

Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and later West Virginia: Were slaveholding states that remained in the Union. Their strategic location and resources made them crucial to the Union war effort, and Lincoln worked carefully to maintain their loyalty through policies like exempting them from the Emancipation Proclamation. After the war, these states faced the challenges of Reconstruction and the gradual decline of slavery, as the 13th Amendment finally abolished it nationwide.

Political and Economic impacts of the Civil War

Politically, it strengthened federal authority over the states, leading to the passage of transformative amendments, including the 13th, 14th, and 15th, which abolished slavery and aimed to secure civil rights for African Americans. Economically, the war accelerated industrialization in the North, devastated the agrarian South, and led to the creation of a national banking system and infrastructure projects like the transcontinental railroad, setting the stage for modern American capitalism.

Copperheads

Term that initially applied to northern Democrats who resisted Republican war measures and advocated negotiation with the Confederacy. Later in the Civil War, the term became equivalent in significance to an accusation of treason against the Union.

Antietam

Turning Point #1

Fought on September 17, 1862, in Maryland, it was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with over 22,000 casualties. It halted Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of the North and provided President Abraham Lincoln with the political momentum to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. This shifted the war's focus to the abolition of slavery, discouraging foreign powers like Britain and France from recognizing the Confederacy.

Battle of Gettysburg

Turning Point #2

Fought from July 1–3, 1863, it was the largest battle fought on American soil. Union forces under General George Meade defeated Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of the North, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing Lee to retreat to Virginia. The Union victory boosted Northern morale and set the stage for President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which redefined the war as a struggle for a "new birth of freedom" and national unity.

Sherman’s March to the Sea

Conducted from November to December 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman led a devastating Union campaign. His troops marched from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia, employing "total war" tactics by destroying railroads, factories, and agricultural resources to cripple the Confederacy’s war effort and civilian morale. The campaign demonstrated the Union's overwhelming strength and hastened the South's surrender in 1865.

Gettysburg Address

Was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, at the dedication of a cemetery for soldiers killed in the Battle of Gettysburg. In just 272 words, Lincoln reaffirmed the principles of equality and democracy from the Declaration of Independence, framing the Civil War as a test of the nation's commitment to those ideals. He called for national unity and resolve to ensure "a new birth of freedom" and that government "of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

African American troops

Over 180,000 served in the Union Army, often in segregated units like the famed 54th Massachusetts Infantry, and faced discrimination, lower pay, and harsh treatment if captured. Their contributions were vital to Union victories, and their bravery helped challenge societal prejudices, laying the groundwork for future struggles for civil rights during Reconstruction and beyond.

Secession

Began in 1860-1861 when eleven Southern states left the Union, forming the Confederacy in response to Abraham Lincoln’s election and fears over restrictions on slavery. The movement was rooted in the South’s commitment to states’ rights and the preservation of slavery as an economic and social system. It led directly to the Civil War, as the federal government refused to recognize the Confederacy’s legitimacy and fought to restore the Union.

Black Codes

Special laws passed by southern state and municipal governments after the Civil War that denied free blacks many rights of citizenship.

Waving the Bloody shirt

Was a post-Civil War political strategy used primarily by Republicans to remind voters of the Union's sacrifices and the Democratic Party’s association with the Confederacy. It was employed to rally support for Reconstruction policies and secure loyalty from Northern voters by invoking the memory of wartime hardships and patriotism.

Redeemers

Were Southern political leaders, primarily former Confederates, who sought to regain control of Southern state governments during Reconstruction after the Civil War. They aimed to restore white supremacy, reverse Reconstruction reforms, and limit African American rights by using tactics like violence and intimidation through groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Their rise marked the end of Reconstruction and the return to a racially segregated South, ushering in the era of Jim Crow laws.

Carpetbaggers

A dissapproving term for Northerners who went to the South after the Civil War to exploit the new political power of freed blacks and the disenfranchisement of former Confederates.

Scalawags

White southern Republicans—mainly small landowning farmers and well-off merchants and planters—who cooperated with the congressionally imposed Reconstruction governments set up in the South following the Civil War.

Ku Klux Klan (KKK)

Founded as a social club in 1866 by a handful of former Confederate soldiers in Tennessee, it became a vigilante group that used violence and intimidation to drive African Americans out of politics. The movement declined in the late 1870s but resurfaced in the 1920s as a political organization that opposed all groups—immigrant, religious, and racial—that challenged Protestant white hegemony.

Radical Republicans

A faction within the Republican party, headed by Thaddeus Stevens and Benjamin Wade, that insisted on black suffrage and federal protection of the civil rights of blacks. After 1867 they achieved a working majority in Congress and passed legislation promoting Reconstruction.

Moderate Republicans

Were a faction within the party that sought a balanced approach to rebuilding the South. While they supported the abolition of slavery and civil rights for African Americans, they favored a less harsh approach to the Southern states than the Radical Republicans. Their efforts focused on reintegrating the South quickly into the Union while protecting Republican political power, though they ultimately struggled against the more radical demands for social and political equality for freed slaves.

Compromise of 1877

A brokered arrangement whereby Republican and Democratic leaders agreed to settle the disputed 1876 presidential election. Democrats allowed returns that ensured the election of Republican Rutherford B. Hayes; and Republicans agreed to withdraw federal troops from the South, ensuring an end to Reconstruction.

Issues during Reconstruction

Faced several significant challenges, including determining the terms of Southern reintegration into the Union and the protection of newly freed African Americans' rights. While the federal government passed key legislation, resistance from Southern whites, including through violence and the establishment of discriminatory Black Codes, undermined these efforts. Additionally, political disagreements between President Andrew Johnson and Congress, economic difficulties, and the eventual withdrawal of federal troops from the South in 1877 led to the collapse of Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow laws.

Impact of Reconstruction

It led to the abolition of slavery, the establishment of civil rights for African Americans through the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, and the temporary participation of African Americans in political life. However, the end of Reconstruction in 1877 saw the rise of Jim Crow laws and racial segregation, leaving many of the gains for African Americans short-lived and setting the stage for continued racial inequality.

13th Amendment

Passed in 1865, this amendment declared an end to slavery and negated the Three-fifths clause in the Constitution, thereby increasing the representation of the southern states in Congress.

14th Amendment

An amendment, passed by Congress in 1866 and ratified in 1868, that prohibited states from depriving citizens of the due process or the equal protection of the laws. Although the amendment was a response to discriminatory laws against blacks in the South, it figured prominently in the expansion of individual rights and liberties during the last half of the twentieth century.

15th Amendment

An amendment (1870), championed by the Republican party, that sought to guarantee the vote to blacks in the South following the Civil War.

Ten Percent Plan

A measure drafted by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 to readmit states that had seceded once 10 percent of their prewar voters swore allegiance to the Union and adopted state constitutions outlawing slavery.

Wade Davis Bill

An 1864 alternative to Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan, this measure required a majority of voters in a southern state to take a loyalty oath in order to begin the process of Reconstruction and guarantee black equality. It also required the repudiation of the Confederate debt. The president exercised a pocket veto, and it never became law.

Johnson impeachment issues

Was driven by his opposition to Congressional Reconstruction policies and his frequent vetoes of civil rights legislation. Tensions escalated when he violated the Tenure of Office Act by removing Edwin M. Stanton, the Secretary of War, and attempting to replace him with a more sympathetic figure, which was seen as an abuse of executive power. He was impeached by the House of Representatives, but he was acquitted by one vote in the Senate, allowing him to remain in office.

Johnson Seward and Alaska

In 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, a decision initially mocked as "Seward's Folly" by critics who saw little value in the vast, remote territory. However, the acquisition proved highly beneficial, as Alaska was rich in natural resources like gold, oil, and minerals, and its strategic location later became important during the Cold War. The purchase under President Andrew Johnson's administration expanded U.S. territory significantly and set the stage for Alaska's eventual statehood in 1959.

Sharecropping/Tenant Farming

A type of agriculture, frequently practiced in the South during and after Reconstruction, in which landowners provided land, tools, housing, and seed to a farmer who provided his labor; the resulting crop was divided between them (i.e., shared).

Rights of African Americans/Freedmen during and after Reconstruction

During Reconstruction, they gained significant legal rights, including freedom from slavery through the 13th Amendment, citizenship and equal protection under the law via the 14th Amendment, and the right to vote through the 15th Amendment.

After Reconstruction, Southern states implemented Jim Crow laws and various discriminatory practices, such as literacy tests and poll taxes, which effectively disenfranchised African Americans. Despite legal protections, they faced widespread racial segregation, violence, and limited opportunities for economic advancement, marking the beginning of a long struggle for civil rights.

Rights of Women during and after Reconstruction

During Reconstruction, women, particularly those in the suffrage movement, advocated for equal rights but were largely excluded from the major legislative gains, such as the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which focused on African American men. Some women, like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, were disappointed by the failure to secure voting rights for women and began pushing more strongly for women's suffrage.

After Reconstruction, the push for women's rights continued, but progress was slow, with women remaining largely excluded from political and economic equality until the 20th century.

Anaconda Plan

General Winfield Scott’s strategy for defeating the Confederacy; its central elements included a naval blockade and seizure of the Mississippi River valley.

Emancipation Proclamation

A decree by President Abraham Lincoln that freed all slaves in Confederate states that remained in active rebellion on January 1, 1863, when the proclamation went into effect.

Homestead Act (1862)

Federal law granting 160 acres of public land in the West to any settler who would farm and improve it within five years of the grant; it encouraged migration into the Great Plains.

Sanitary Commission

A private and voluntary medical organization, founded in May 1861, that sought to improve the physical and mental well-being of Union soldiers during the Civil War.

Reconstruction

The twelve-year period of postwar readjustment that followed the Civil War and the process through which the governments of seceded states were reorganized for readmission to the Union.

Freedmen’s Bureau

A federal refugee agency to aid former slaves and destitute whites after the Civil War. It provided them food, clothing, and other necessities as well as helped them find work and set up schools.

Force Acts

Three laws passed by the Republican-dominated Congress in 1870–1871 to protect black voters in the South. The laws placed state elections under federal jurisdiction and imposed fines and imprisonment on those guilty of interfering with any citizen exercising his right to vote.

crop-lien system

A system of agriculture in which local landowners and merchants loaned money to farm workers in return for a portion of the harvest of cash crops. By forcing farmers to plant cash crops, the system discouraged diversified agriculture in the South.

Abraham Lincoln’s role in the Civil War

His leadership included issuing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which made ending slavery a central goal of the war, and delivering the Gettysburg Address, which redefined the conflict as a fight for equality and democracy. Lincoln's resolve and vision helped guide the Union to victory, and his assassination in 1865 left a profound impact on the nation's Reconstruction efforts.

Civil War Conscription

Enacted in both the Union and the Confederacy, it required men to serve in the military, with the Union passing the first federal draft law in 1863. While exemptions were allowed for certain individuals, such as those who could pay a fee or provide a substitute, this led to widespread resentment, particularly in the North, where the "rich man's war, poor man's fight" sentiment sparked riots, like the New York City Draft Riots. In the South, it was even more controversial, as the Confederacy faced manpower shortages and increasing dissent over the hardships of war.

Civil War Advantages for the South (Confederacy)

Included strong military leadership, particularly in generals like Robert E. Lee, and the defensive nature of the war, as they were fighting on familiar terrain. They also had a deeply entrenched culture of agriculture, especially cotton, which they hoped would garner foreign support, particularly from Britain and France. Additionally, Southern soldiers were highly motivated, fighting to preserve their way of life, including the institution of slavery.

Civil War Disadvantages for the South (Confederacy)

Most notably its lack of industrial capacity hindered its ability to produce weapons, ammunition, and other war supplies. They also struggled with a smaller population compared to the Union, limiting its manpower and resources for the war effort. Furthermore, the South's reliance on slavery as an economic system made it difficult to mobilize and maintain a diversified economy, which became increasingly problematic as the war dragged on.

Civil War Advantages for the North (Union)

Included a significantly larger population, which provided a greater pool of soldiers and workers. The Union also had a more developed industrial base, allowing for better production of weapons, supplies, and transportation infrastructure like railroads. Additionally, the North controlled the U.S. Navy, which gave it the ability to blockade Southern ports, limiting the Confederacy's access to crucial resources and foreign support.

Civil War Disadvantages for the North (Union)

Included the challenge of fighting an offensive war on unfamiliar Southern terrain, which strained its military resources and logistics. Public support for the war was often divided, with rising dissent and anti-war sentiments, especially in the form of the Copperhead movement. Additionally, the Union lacked strong military leadership early in the war, which contributed to delays and setbacks until more competent generals, like Ulysses S. Grant, emerged later in the conflict.

Morrill Land Grant Act

Provided federal land to states to establish colleges focused on agricultural and mechanical arts, with the goal of promoting education and economic development. This legislation helped expand higher education across the United States and led to the creation of many public universities.

Andrew Johnson

He became president after Abraham Lincoln's assassination in 1865 and was a Southern Democrat who initially opposed secession but favored lenient policies toward the South during Reconstruction. His disagreements with Congress over the treatment of the South and his vetoes of key legislation led to his impeachment in 1868, although he was acquitted by one vote in the Senate.

Ulysses S. Grant

Was a key Union general during the Civil War, known for his decisive victories at battles such as Vicksburg and Appomattox, which helped lead to the Confederacy's surrender. After the war, he served as the 18th president of the United States (1869-1877), where he focused on Reconstruction efforts and enforcing civil rights, though his administration was marred by corruption scandals.

Rutherford B. Hayes

Was the 19th president of the United States, serving from 1877 to 1881, following a highly contested election in 1876. His presidency marked the end of Reconstruction, as he withdrew federal troops from the South, effectively allowing the return of white Democratic control and the implementation of Jim Crow laws.

Election of 1864

Took place during the height of the Civil War, with Union victory uncertain and many Northerners disillusioned by the war's duration and casualties. President Abraham Lincoln faced opposition from the Democratic Party, particularly from the Copperheads, who sought peace with the Confederacy, and Lincoln's re-election was threatened by concerns over his ability to win a second term amid war fatigue.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine of "separate but equal." The case involved Homer Plessy, an African American man arrested for sitting in a "whites-only" railroad car, challenging Louisiana's segregation laws. The Court's decision legalized segregation in public facilities, solidifying Jim Crow laws in the South and maintaining racial inequality for decades.

Tenure of Office Act of 1867

Required the President of the United States to get the approval of the Senate to remove cabinet secretaries or other presidentially-appointed officials from office. Congress passed the act over the veto of President Andrew Johnson.