The American Civil War and Reconstruction Study Guide Notes

Key Battles in Texas During the Civil War

1. Battle of Galveston: Confederates reclaimed Galveston Bay as a port for supplies.

2. Battle of Sabine Pass: Confederates prevented the Union from seizing control of Texas and its supply lines.

3. Battle of Palmito Ranch: Occurred post-Civil War; the news of the war's end had not reached Texas yet.

Key Figures of the Civil War Era

• Abraham Lincoln: President of the Union.

• Jefferson Davis: President of the Confederacy.

• Ulysses S. Grant: General of the Union forces.

• Robert E. Lee: General of the Confederate forces.

Important Civil War Events in Order

1. Election of Lincoln: Provoked fears in Southern states, leading to their secession.

2. Battle of Fort Sumter: Marked the beginning of the Civil War with no casualties.

3. Battle of Bull Run/Manassas: First major battle showing that the war would be long and bloody.

4. Battle of Antietam: The deadliest single day battle; Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation following this battle.

5. Emancipation Proclamation: Declared freedom for slaves in rebelling states, making abolition a war goal.

6. Battle of Galveston: The Confederacy regained control of Galveston Bay.

7. Battle of Gettysburg: The bloodiest battle and a significant turning point in the war as Confederate troops retreated.

8. Battle of Vicksburg: Union victory that gave them control over the Mississippi River, cutting off Confederate supply lines.

9. Battle of Appomattox Courthouse: Lee surrendered to Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.

10. Assassination of Lincoln: Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, leading to Andrew Johnson's presidency during Reconstruction.

Reconstruction Plans and Amendments

• Reconstruction Overview: Plans for Confederate states to rejoin the Union with specific requirements.

• Lincoln’s 10% Plan: Only 10% of voters needed to swear loyalty to the Union; pro-Union government and abolish slavery.

• Presidential Reconstruction: Proposed by Andrew Johnson; required ratification of the 13th amendment and loyalty oaths.

• Congressional Reconstruction: Radical Republicans divided South into Military Districts and required ratification of the 14th and 15th amendments.

Key Amendments

• 13th Amendment: Abolished slavery.

• 14th Amendment: Granted citizenship and equal rights to freed slaves.

• 15th Amendment: Extended voting rights to African Americans.

To remember the Battle of Vicksburg, think of the phrase "Victory in the Vicksburg Valley of Mississippi." This highlights its significance as a major Union victory that provided control over the Mississippi River, cutting off vital Confederate supply lines. Picture a river flowing through Mississippi with Union flags marking their triumph at Vicksburg to reinforce its importance as a turning point in the Civil War.