Civil War and Reconstruction Lecture Notes

Comprehensive flashcards covering key battles, commanders, policies, historiography, and Constitutional amendments from the Civil War and Reconstruction.

How is "sovereignty" defined in the lecture notes?

Supreme power over a political body.

Why did aides advise Abraham Lincoln to maintain federal forts in the South on inauguration day in March of 1861?

To assert federal sovereignty following the recent secession of several southern states.

When did the attack on Fort Sumter occur, and where was the fort located?

On April 12, 1861, in the port city of Charleston, South Carolina.

What caused the only casualty during the bombardment of Fort Sumter?

Accidental cannon fire.

Who organized the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, and what position was he given in February of 1863?

Robert Shaw organized the unit, and Governor John Andrew of Massachusetts appointed him colonel.

Which sons of Frederick Douglass were notable recruits in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry?

Charles and Lewis Douglass.

What fort did the 54th Massachusetts attack on July 18th, resulting in the deaths of 250 men including Robert Shaw?

Fort Wagner.

Who was William Carney?

A $23$-year-old private who became the first black soldier to receive a Medal of Honor for his heroism during battle.

What was the wage disparity between black and white soldiers before Congress rescinded the bill?

Black soldiers were paid $7$ while white soldiers were paid $10$.

When did General Robert E. Lee assume command of the Army of Northern Virginia?

June 1, 1862.

How did General Ulysses S. Grant earn the nickname "Unconditional Surrender Grant"?

At Fort Donelson, TN, he responded to the Confederate commander: "No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted."

Why did Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson earn the nickname "Stonewall"?

Because of his brigade's ability to resist Union attacks.

Under the policy adopted in August of 1861, how were fugitive slaves treated if their labor was used to aid the Confederacy?

They were declared "contraband of war" and declared free.

Why did Secretary of State William Seward advise Lincoln to wait before formally issuing the Emancipation Proclamation?

He cautioned Lincoln to wait until the Union achieved a major military victory.

What were the Confederate casualty numbers at the Battle of Antietam in September of 1862?

$5{,}000$ Confederate soldiers died and $18{,}000$ were wounded.

Which enslaved people were freed when the Emancipation Proclamation was officially issued on January 1, 1863?

All slaves within states or parts of states that were in "rebellion" and not under Union control (leaving one million slaves in Union territory still in bondage).

What was the starting point, ending point, and timeframe of General William T. Sherman's "The March to the Sea"?

It began on November 23, 1863, in Chattanooga, TN, and ended in Savannah, GA, on December 21, 1864.

What military strategy did General William T. Sherman employ during his march?

The "scorched earth policy", systematically destroying everything that could be used to aid the Confederacy.

Where and on what date did General Robert E. Lee surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant?

April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia.

What time period covers Reconstruction as stated in the notes?

$1865\text{--}1877$.

What was the title of W.E.B. Dubois's 1935 epic work that provided the first revisionist account of Reconstruction?

Black Reconstruction in America.

What term did E. Merton Coulter coin in his 1947 work "The South During Reconstruction 1865-77"?

"Negro Incapacity".

Which historian wrote "Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution" in 1988?

Eric Foner.

What condition did President Andrew Johnson place on amnesty regarding southerners with post-war wealth over a certain threshold?

Those with post-war wealth valued at more than $\u002420{,}000$ were excluded from automatic amnesty and had to personally apply for a pardon.

What did the Thirteenth Amendment (1865) establish?

It abolished slavery and involuntary servitude within the United States or any place subject to its jurisdiction, except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party was duly convicted.

What two major rights were outlined in Sections One and Two of the Fourteenth Amendment (1868)?

Section One guaranteed citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S., and Section Two guaranteed the right to vote to all male citizens over the age of $21$.

What does Section One of the Fifteenth Amendment (1870) prohibit?

Denying or abridging the right of citizens of the U.S. to vote on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

What was the Freedmen's Bureau and when was it established?

The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, established as a federal agency in March 1865 to provide aid to four million freed slaves and oversee the establishment of primary schools, hospitals, and colleges.

Who were the "Exodusters"?

Freed slaves who moved from the Southern states to Kansas and the West after the end of Reconstruction and the withdrawal of federal troops in 1877.