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When was the American Civil War?
1861-1865
Which 11 states had seceded to form the confederacy by May 1861?
South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee
Who was the president of the confederacy?
Jefferson Davis
Who was the president of the union
Abraham Lincoln
What 6 immediate advantages did the union have over the confederacy in a war
1)Population- Union's was larger so larger pool for military recruitment, labour and economic productivity
2)Industrialisation- Was greater in union which gave a larger capacity for the manufacture of weapons and ammo etc
3)Transportation- Union's transport system more developed which better facilitated the movement of troops, supplies and ammo
4)Navy- Union navy larger and more advanced giving them greater control over the waters and capability for blockades
5)Financial resources- Union had greater financial services and better access to credit markets which allowed them to fund war effort through taxation, loans and issuance of paper money
6)International recognition- Union gov recognised by more f.nations than confed, giving it better access to diplomatic support, trade partnerships and potential military alliances
Give 5 strengths of Jefferson Davis as a leader
1) came to the presidency with useful military and administrative experience
2) Had a more realistic view of the conflict than other Southerners from the outset, didn't underestimate N and anticipated a long struggle
3) Appointed general Lee and allowed significant decision making powers to generals that he trusted, both show good military sense
4) Despite usually being strong advocate for states rights, he endorsed tough measures such as conscription, impressment of supplies and introduction of martial law in areas threatened by N
5) Despite internal challenges, he toured the South to boost morale
What did Davis' strengths overall mean?
His dedication and leadership likely prolonged Confed's existence
Give 4 of Davis' failings
1) Bad at forming working relationships, argued with military commanders and senior politicians and he couldn't really work with people he didn't agree with
2) High cabinet turnover shows he was bad at relationships
3) He struggled with delegation and meddled in other's work
4) He was indecisive and his cabinet meetings often dragged on for a very long time without reaching a conclusion
How many war secretaries did Davis' go through?
6
What do contemporaries say of Davis' character vs historians' view?
Contemporaries say he had despotic tendencies and historians now argue that he used his power too sparingly
Give 5 of Lincoln's strengths
1) He selected able men for his advisors + cabinet and was able to delegate well
2) He kept in touch with public opinion when making decisions and ensured his men were loyal by giving successful men free rein
3) He represented the middle ground but kept in contact with those both on the conservative and radical sides of the party, Chase as treasury sec was a radical which kept the faction happy
4) He stretched his authority in order to overcome challenges (he would spend money, call for troops and create blockades without asking congress) as there was no existing precedent
5) He was personally seen as a resilient, tenacious and honest leader
Who was the more effective leader, Davis or Lincoln?
Ultimately Lincoln was the better leader as his superior people skills allowed him to keep a close and loyal cabinet around him and his openness to views that differed from his own gave him greater knowledge of issues and allowed him to be more decisive than Davis.
How many secretaries of state did Davis' go through?
4
What was Davis' cabinet like? (give three details)
What was Lincoln's cabinet like? (give 3 details)
1) Most cabinet members stayed in post throughout the war and it was much more stable than Davis'
2) Lincoln used cabinet meetings as sounding boards for decisions and preferred one on one meetings with cabinet members instead of meeting en masse
3) Secretaries generally worked hard and managed their departments well. He proactively replaced corrupt politicians like Simon Cameron with Edward Stanton to further stabilise his administration
Who was William Seward?
Lincoln's Secretary of State and right hand man who offered crucial support and advice
Who was Gideon Welles?
The navy secretary throughout the entire war who served very effectively and contributed to union war efforts
Who's cabinet was overall more of a problem?
Davis', he faced a high cabinet turnover and internal strife which hindered decision making for the Confed. Whereas, Lincoln's cab was largely stable and there was continuity in key cab positions which increased efficiency. Also, as Lincoln used his cabinet as a sounding board for decisions, discord and conflict was minimised.
Why was the Confederate congress ineffective?
There was no 2 party system in confed congress so men who had once been political enemies had to try and unite. Also, there was no party of opposition so there was less channelling of political activity and more squabbling.
How supportive was confederate congress of Davis at the start of the war vs the end?
Initially very supportive and most legislation passed in tact, eve n if it violated state's rights in aid of the war effort. However, as the war progressed discontent grew and there was a high congressional turnover
By 1863, what percentage of new congressmen opposed Davis?
40%
How serious was congressional opposition for Davis?
Not that serious, although a lot of congressmen disapproved of Davis, this opposition never formed a cohesive group and ultimately no major rift occurred in confed congress and Davis despite growing dissent
Who controlled congress in the North?
It was controlled by Republicans throughout the war who had significant majorities in the House and the Senate
How did the North's congress support Lincoln?
-occasional conflicts over exec vs leg powers but mostly supportive
-Always provided necessary resources for conducting the war
-Although critical of Lincoln at times, Radical Republicans were not unified in this and usually backed him when he asked for their support
Overall, who's congress was more of a hinderance?
Both faced challenges but Davis usually faced more opposition due to more serious divisions between members of his congress
How did confederate states' individualism affect their war effort?
Some state leaders resisted centralised control because of their deep commitment to states rights
Examples of individual governors choosing states rights over the collective war effort
Joseph Brown opposed conscription and exempted thousands of Georgians from the draft by enrolling them in fake militia units
So did individualism triumph over collective action in the confederacy
Only occasionally, despite tensions, most governors cooperated with the confed gov
Which states seceded from the confed
East Tennessee and North Virginia
Why had internal opposition in the South existed from the start?
Many non slave owning border states had opposed secession
How many southerners joined the Union army?
about 100,000, but union sympathisers still a minority
The introduction of what legislation increased internal opposition in the South?
The First Conscription Act of 1862 and subsequent acts
Was opposition to conscription widespread in the confederacy?
Yes, many people lukewarm about the war chose to oppose it rather than risk their lives and bands of draft evaders sprang up, most commonly in rural areas, who actively fought conscription
What was initial internal opposition like in the Union?
Initially, Lincoln carried the Democrats with him and appointed many to his cabinet in return for their support
How did Democrat opposition to Lincoln change?
As war went on it increased for reasons like dislike of Republican economics, war strategy and efforts to end slavery but in reality confed supporting northern democrats were a teeny majority with most being committed unionists
When did democrat dissent peak?
1863
When were the NYC draft riots?
July 1863
What happened during the NYC draft riots?
A mob of Irish workers went on a violent rampage due to the passing of conscription act, attacking black people who they blamed for the starting of the war.
When was the Union conscription Act?
1863
How were the NYC draft riots solved?
NYC in crisis for days until Lincoln sent in 20,000 troops to restore order
Overall, was internal opposition that bad for the two nations?
Why was the Union's internal opposition arguably more serious?
Because it manifested in more serious and potentially dangerous ways such as Clement Vallandigham's campaign for governorship of Ohio and the NYC draft riots which caused chaos for several days and diverted resources from war effort. In the South, although dissent grew, it never manifested so violently and there was no equivalent to the NYC draft riots
Example of political opposition to Lincoln
Clement Vallandigham (Democrat) ran an openly anti war and anti Lincoln campaign for the governorship of Ohio but was convicted for publicly opposing the war and lost the contest from exile in Canada
Why did the confederacy face financial difficulties? (3 reasons)
-They had limited gold reserves in comparison to the North and union blockades hindered cotton sales
-Income taxes unpopular and ineffective which led to lots of borrowing and printing of money which caused serious inflation
-As the war dragged on and confederacy appeared to be loosing, European financiers became reluctant to lend
What were the consequences of these financial difficulties for the confederate war effort?
-Massive inflation meant procuring supplies costly
-Shortages ensued, not helped by the breakdown of the transport system that they couldn't afford to fix and union blockade that hampered cotton trade
How effective was the confederate treasury secretary in trying to reduce inflation?
Memminger failed and had to resign
when did the Union first introduce income tax?
1861
Why were the Union in a stronger place financially? (3 details)
-They already had an established treasury and banking system
-They had lots of gold reserves because of rushes like the 1848 California one
-They were quick to bring in lots of legislation to keep their financial system and economy functional throughout war
Who was the Union's financial secretary?
Salmon Chase who managed to keep the treasury operational
How did the union raise income?
1/3 from tax and 2/3 from loans and bonds
when was the internal revenue act and what did it do
1862, it taxed almost all goods, raising 10x the amount of from income tax
How did the Union keep inflation from having detrimental impacts
Congress approved an inflationary monetary policy which, although inflation was at about 80% throughout the war, meant that the union avoided the hyperinflation seen in the confederacy
What was inflation in the confederacy in 1863?
700% increase from pre war levels
what was inflation in the confederacy at the end of the war in 1865?
Prices over 9000 percent higher than in 1861
When was the Union's legal tender act and what was it?
1862 and it allowed the issuance of $400 million in paper currency to enable the sale of new bonds
Overall, which side had sounder finances?
The union, they had an established treasury, gold reserves and fairly effective monetary and inflationary policy whereas the confederacy was dogged with hyperinflation
Why did the confederacy experience hyperinflation? (four reasons)
- Over reliance on printing paper money without sufficient banking in gold which debased the currency
-Union blockades severely limited the Confederacy's ability to import goods, leading to severe shortages and driving up prices.
-Loss of Confidence: As the war turned against the Confederacy and prospects for victory dimmed, confidence in the Confederate currency eroded, exacerbating inflation.
-Lack of Tax Revenue: The Confederate government struggled to impose and collect taxes effectively, relying heavily on printing money to finance the war.
How did the war impact women in the confederacy?
women had to take up men's usual roles, urban women had to go into the factories, plantation owners wives had to run the plantations and learn to control slaves and rural wives had to farm and do heavy manual labour
Also, many women lost loved ones but overall most women remained committed to the cause until the end of the war
How many men if fighting age were mobilised in the confederacy?
over 900,000, over 40% of its white men of fighting age
How did the war impact slaves in the confederacy?
It led to slave flight from the plantations and negotiation between slave owners and slaves for work
Overall, did the confederacy lack the will to win?
despite hardships and dwindling resources confederated society did not lack the will to win but they faced huge challenges
What was morale like in the North?
Pretty good, life went on like normal for many but as most men of flighting age were drafted and regiments often consisted of men from a single town or county, there were significant impacts if a regiment suffered heavy casualties
How did the war affect societal inequalities in the union?
Some evidence that the rich got richer and the poor poorer leading to some unrest and small scale strikes
were their any racial tensions in the north?
yes, in 1863 there were some racial riots in northern cities due to resentment for fighting to free the slaves and perceived job competition
confederate economy successes
1) 75% success rate for blockade runners and post 1863 they had to carry cotton out and war supplies in for at least 1/3 of their cargo
2) The war encouraged a shift from cotton production which relied on trade which made them vulnerable to blockades, to agricultural production
how did the south's cotton crop reduce?
from 4 million bales in 1861 to 300,000 in 1864
What limited the confederacy's economic success during the war?
Southerners generally believed that economic development was beyond the scope of central gov which limited their ability to intervene as much as perhaps necessary during the war, although there was intervention with things like conscription
3 confederacy economic failures
1) Failed to exploit a weakness in union barricades in 1861 and export cotton
2) Ineffective supervision and maintenance of the transport system meant supply and troop shortages
3) delayed impressment of slaves for non combat until 1864 roles meant labour shortages
When did the South's economy collapse?
1865, machinery had worn out, raw material sources had been lost to the union forces and there was a total breakdown in the railway system
Overall, who's economic base was the strongest?
The North had the much stronger economic base because of:
-industrialisation and superior infrastructure
-more diverse economy
-abundance of resources
-developed financial system
The south struggled to compete because of their economy's reliance on agricultural production, lack of industrialisation and reliance on slave labour
Why was Lord Palmerston anxious to remain neutral in the war? (4 reasons)
- Britain risked losing Canada if they sided with the South and lost to the North
-North was a valuable trading partner so supporting the south would mean a loss of access to valuable markets
-Many Britons opposed the confed because of slavery
-After the Crimean war in the previous decade, financing a foreign conflict thousands of miles away didn't seem desirable or affordable
Why did the Trent affair not result in Britain declaring war on the union?
Because the union admitted that they had committed an illegal act by capturing Mason and Sidell and tensions eased
Why didn't Britain attempt to mediate in 1862?
Because mediation would have meant the British had to accept the creation of the confederacy and that would anger the union and Britain was only really interested in economic gain, not the morality of the situation
Why was size a confederate strength
the 2 million square km size of the confederacy was its greatest asset, it would be very difficult to blockade and conquer and even if union armies succeeded in conquering some of it, they would have needed extensive supply lines to hold on, in the face of a resentful population
why was defence a confederate strength?
Confederate forces didn't have to go on the offensive, they simply had the much easier job of defence. They didn't have to worry about taking NYC of DC or hold down any occupied territory
why was the use of slaves a confederate strength?
although slavery was one of the main causes of the war, slaves themselves proved a real asset to the south. Slaves could be left on the home front, enabling more of the white manpower to go off to fight. Although they never allowed slaves to take part in active miliary conflict, they could perform vital miliary duties like building fortifications
Why was lack of unity a weakness for the south?
not everyone within confed committed to the cause and pockets of unionism existed especially in the Appalachians. The secession of W Virginia was also a major setback
Why was dependency on agriculture a weakness for the south?
The confed's reliance on agri and cotton being the backbone of their industry meant that they were particularly vulnerable to blockades, emancipation of slaves and the destruction of crops and farming infrastructure. Also, lack of industrialisation meant that they struggled to make enough military supplies
why was diplomatic isolation a weakness for the South?
They struggled to gain diplomatic recognition from foreign powers like Britain and France which restricted their access to aid, international trade agreements and gaining legitimacy on the global stage
What were the 3 main strengths for the confederacy
- Size
-use of slave labour
-defensive position
What were the 3 main weaknesses for the confederacy
-lack of unity
-overdependence on agriculture and lack of industrialisation
- diplomatic isolation
What were the 3 main strengths for the union
-industrial capacity
-naval supremacy
-population and resources
Why was industrial capacity a strength for the union?
They had a significant industrial advantage over the south which meant they had factories able to produce essential supplies at a much faster rate
Stat to show the North's industrial supremacy?
in 1860, the north had 6 times as many factories as the south and 10 times its industrial productive capacity
why was population and resources a strength for the union?
the north had a much larger population and a more extensive resource base which provided a manpower advantage and greater resilience
How did the North's population compare to the South?
22 million northerners to 9 million southerners and of that 9 million only 5.5 were white so eligible to fight
how many slave states stayed loyal to the union and how could they have benefitted the south?
4 slave states who would have added 80% to the industrial capacity of the south stayed loyal to the union
why was naval supremacy a strength for the union?
the union enjoyed significant naval supremacy and had a stronger pool of military experience as most of the US regular army had stayed loyal to the m
Between when and when had how many west point grads been northern?
Between 1820 and 1860, 2/3 of west point grads had been northern which helped the north's military expertise
why was the need to conquer a weakness for the north?
unlike the south who could hunker down and defend, the north had to go forth an conquer, this required the establishment of long supply lines, military supremacy on unfamiliar land and contending with a hostile civilian population.
why was military high command a weakness for the north?
the union didn't have as many highly ranked generals as the confed and some of their military leaders such as McClellan could be criticised as being too cautious
why were internal divisions a weakness for the north?
not all united in war goals, northern democrats known as copperheads opposed the war and were publicly critical of Lincoln which hindered war effort. There were also tensions between abolitionists and those who thought the union should be prioritised which complicated decision-making
were both armies well organised with fully qualified leaders?
both armies lacked a recognisable command structure and generals were often appointed for political reasons rather than ability. Junior officers also usually appointed due to social standing rather than expertise and many lacked proper qualifications
By 1865, how many men were enlisted in the two sides' armies?
900,000 in the confed
2.1 million in union
What proportion of soldiers were conscripted throughout the war?
less than 1/10
What was the impact of the rifle musket on the war?
prev wars had relied on the clunky smoothbore musket which had a poor range and accuracy but by 1861 these had been replaced with the more effective rifle muskets
Neither side quick to take them up and it is thought that had they been introduced earlier, the war might have ended more quickly
How did improved transport and communications play a role in the conflict (3 details)
- both sides used railways to move men and supplies
-use of the telegraph meant that generals could communicate directly with units on separated fronts
-on the Mississippi and its tributaries, steamboats were vital for supplies
Which side struggled to maintain their railways
the south, this arguably seriously contributed to their loss
What was the union's navy like initially?
small, only about 90 ships and 8,800 men
How did the union quickly expand their naval power
they bought and converted merchant ships for blockade duty
