u.s. history: civil war and causes

Cause 1: Missouri Compromise

• in 1818: 10 slave states, 10 free states; before, Illinois admitted as 11th free state upsetting balance of power

• southerners expected Missouri to become 11th slave state

• Missouri constitution amended to say slaves would gradually be freed.

• during debate over Missouri, Alabama admitted as 11th slave state making Missouri’s situation crucial

• northerners believed: southerners were trying to extend slavery into territories

• southerners believed: northerners were trying to end slavery

• threats of civil war

• Maine admitted as free state

• Missouri admitted as slave state

• remaining Louisiana Territory split: north of 36-30 north latitude slavery was illegal (except in Missouri); south of line, slavery was legal

Cause 2: Abolition movement

• when slaves escaped they could expect dangerous journey, traveling on foot at night, struggling through forests, rivers, etc., no food for days

• once they reached the north: some stayed in northern states and took chances with slave catchers, some go to Canada to guarantee safety

Harriet Tubman

• most famous “conductor”

• born into slavery & lived a difficult life as a slave

• escaped to Philly after her owner died and made 19 trips to free hundreds f other slaves, including her own parents

• became a “conductor” after the Fugitive Slave Act was passed— never caught.

William Lloyd Garrison

• started a publication called “The Liberator”

• called for immediate end to slavery across America

Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass

• former slaves whose voices were heard

• Douglass’ biography drew new attention to the horrors of slavery and the potential of black people

Cause 3: States’ rights

• Tariff of 1828 (Tariff of Abominations in the south)

• helped the north since they sold manufactured goods and now imported foreign goods were more $$ due to tariff.

• so, people bought domestic goods made in the north

• hurt the south because they were mainly farming and needed to buy manufactured goods

• south now had to pay more for manufactured goods since they mostly farm

• south claimed north getting rich at south’s expense

Fugitive Slave Act

• fugitives not entitled to jury/ to testify on their own behalf

• slave owners only needed to give brief description of fugitive to have escapee returned

• commissioners received $10 fpr every fugitive returned; only $5 for freeing a slave

• this increased resistance to slavery in North

• personal liberty laws passed in the north; forbade imprisonment of runaway slaves and guaranteed them trial with a jury

Cause 5: Kansas-Nebraska Act

• divided area into 2 territories and establish popular sovereignty-allow citizens of territory to decide slave state vs. free state

• 90% of Southern congressmen support act

“Bleeding Kansas”

• North and South engaged in battle over Kansas to be a free or slave state

• many moved to area → had enough settlers to hold election for territorial legislature

• slave owners (from MO) across border and vote for pro-slavery candidates who set up govt. at Le Compton

Cause 6: Dred Scott v. Sandford

• supreme court chief justice Roger B. Taney hands down ruling: Slaves do not have rights of citizens, Scott had no claim to freedom, Missouri Compromise unconstitutional → Congress should not forbid slavery in any part of territories

• interferes with 5th amendment- the right to own property

Cause 7: John Brown’s raid

• 1859 Harper’s Ferry

• raids gun warehouse with 2 men

• plan = give weapons to slaves to start uprising

• plan fails, very unorganized - Brown captured by fed. troops and hanged

• south fears for safety and another Northern attack

Cause 8: Lincoln elected President

• 1860 election

• He wins Republican nomination: viewed as more moderate

• He pledged to halt spread of slavery but also reassured South he would not interfere with slavery

• He wins with less then ½ of the popular vote and 0 electoral votes from the South

Southern Secession

• Lincoln’s victory made Southerners feel they lost political voice

• 7 states secede (SC, MS, FL, AL, GA, LA, TX)

• Confederate states of America - a collection of sovereign and independent states

• elected Jefferson Davis as President (former Senator from MS)

Fort Sumter, SC

• Confederate President Jefferson Davis chooses war and orders attack on ______

• Attack unifies North and VA secedes

• 4 border states: MD, DE, KY, MO — have slavery, stay in Union

Union (North) Advantages

• more resources

• more men (immigrants from Europe)

• more factories

• more food production

Confederacy (South) Advantages

• first-rate generals

• defending homeland

• defeating South involved war of attrition

Union Strategy

Anaconda Plan

• blockade southern ports

• split confederacy in 2 parts along Mississippi River

• capture Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia

Confederate Strategy

• defensive

• start of war: south withheld cotton from Europe (hoped EU would help South due to their need for cotton, but failed — EU found other places to get cotton)

• some leaders encouraged their generals to attack and even invade the North

Bull run (VA)

• 1st major battle in Civil war

• Southern victory — proved war would be longer than few months

George McClellan

• Union Commanding General

• appointed by Lincoln

• Ulesses S. Grant follows after him

General Robert E. Lee

• took command of Confederate army after General Joseph E. Johnson was wounded

• incredible tactician

• would go beyond military textbooks in his tactics

• Lee prevents McClellan from taking Richmond

Antietam (MD)

• Union army found a copy of Lee’s battle plans

• Lee invaded North and clashed with McClellan

• Bloodiest single-day battle in American history = 26,000 casualties

• TIE, but Lee withdrew and North claimed victory

Gettysburg Address

• famous speech by Lincoln at dedication of national cemetery

• “The world… can never forget what they did here”

North takes charge (1864)

• Lincoln appoints Grant commander of all Union armies

• Grant appoints William Tecumseh Sherman as commander of military division of the Mississippi

End of war

• Lincoln wins 2nd term in 1864

• Appomattox court House in VA

• Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865

Legacy of the War

• 360,000 Union soldiers and 260,000 confederate soldiers die

• combined total of $3.3 billion spent during war

• SOUTH - held only 12% of national wealth, most of industry destroyed, labor system dismantled

Freedman’s Bureau

• established during last month of Civil war

• assist former slaves and poor whites in South

• distribute clothing, food, setup schools and hospitals