U.S. Civil War: Causes, Course, and Consequences

These flashcards review major causes, advantages, battles, legislation, and outcomes of the U.S. Civil War to aid exam preparation.

What was the primary issue at the center of the Civil War?

The institution and expansion of slavery.

Which argument did Southerners frequently use to justify secession besides slavery?

States’ rights—specifically the right to allow slavery.

Which three congressional compromises tried to settle the slavery question before the Civil War?

The Missouri Compromise (1820), Compromise of 1850, and Kansas–Nebraska Act (1854).

Which presidential election directly triggered Southern secession?

The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860.

How did the North’s economy differ from the South’s on the eve of the war?

The North was industrial and favored tariffs; the South was agricultural, relied on enslaved labor, and opposed tariffs.

Approximately what fraction of the South’s 9 million people were enslaved in 1860?

About 3.5 million, roughly one-third of the population.

Which side produced over 90 percent of the nation’s manufactured goods during the Civil War?

The Union (North).

Name two major resource advantages held by the North.

Greater wealth and large supplies of iron, coal, and firearms.

What transportation advantage greatly benefited the Union war effort?

An extensive railroad network and control of the navy for blockades.

Why did the Confederacy enjoy a defensive advantage?

Most battles were fought on Southern home territory, giving familiarity with the terrain.

Which Confederate generals were noted for superior military leadership?

Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

How did enslaved labor support the Confederate war effort?

Enslaved people continued producing food and supplies while white men fought.

What distinction does the Battle of Antietam (Sept. 1862) hold in U.S. history?

It was the bloodiest single day in American history with about 23,000 casualties.

Why was the Battle of Antietam strategically significant for the Union?

It halted Lee’s invasion of the North and enabled Lincoln to issue the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

What did Lincoln’s Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation threaten?

That enslaved people in rebelling states would be free as of Jan. 1, 1863, unless those states rejoined the Union within 100 days.

How did the Emancipation Proclamation change the Union’s war aims?

It made ending slavery a central goal in addition to preserving the Union.

Roughly how many total deaths resulted from the Civil War?

About 618,000 (some estimates exceed 700,000).

What 1862 law offered 160 acres of free land to settlers who improved it for five years?

The Homestead Act.

Name one major effect of the Homestead Act on Native Americans.

It dispossessed many Native American peoples of their lands.

Which 1862 act granted federal land to states to fund colleges in agriculture and mechanics?

The Morrill Land-Grant Act.

How did the Morrill Land-Grant Act influence higher education?

It helped establish many public universities, including several HBCUs.

What was the primary goal of the 1861 Morrill Tariff Act?

To protect Northern manufacturers and raise revenue for the Union war effort.

Which legislation funded the first transcontinental railroad?

The Pacific Railway Acts of 1862.

In what year was the first transcontinental railroad completed?

1869.

List two major impacts of the transcontinental railroad.

Revolutionized cross-country travel and severely harmed Native American nations by cutting through their lands.

Give two key reasons the North ultimately won the Civil War.

Greater industrial/manpower resources and effective naval blockade of Southern trade.

How did emancipation undermine the Confederate labor force?

It encouraged enslaved people to flee, depriving the South of labor and boosting Union forces with Black soldiers.

What constitutional change permanently abolished slavery in the U.S.?

The 13th Amendment.

State two lasting outcomes of the Civil War besides emancipation.

Preservation of the Union and massive human casualties/destruction, especially in the South.