Civil War

The Civil War

Causes of the War

  • Many historians agree sectional differences led to the war. Northern and Southern states were developing different economies, lifestyles, and cultures
  • Differences in economic life of the north and the south also contributed greatly to the war
  • The north's economy focused on finance and manufacturing and the south specialized in agriculture and trade
  • Southern states also began to question the extent of the federal government's power
  • The old argument the federalists and anti-federalist argued over persisted- how much power should be allocated to the federal government

Anti-Slavery Movement

  • Abolitionists were active in northern and western states before the civil war. These men and women wanted slaves to be freed across the country
  • SOme abolitionists favored relocating slaves to Africa. Additionally, some in the anti-slavery movement believed in african-american slaves were entitled yo the same freedoms as their owners
  • Southern states opposed the abolition of slavery; it was a financial necessity and part of their social structure. The majority of the south's economy depended on crops produced with slave labour

The Northern States

  • The North's population was three times that of the south. Most of the wealth and commerce in the country was situated in the north as well
  • Manufacturing was done in the north, as well as most innovation
  • The best transportation was in the north, such as an extensive network of railroads and canals

The Southern States

  • The South included about nine million people, including about three million slaves
  • The average southerner was not as wealthy as the average living person in the north
  • Reliance on slave labor discouraged the creation of new jobs in the south. This discouraged immigration, and most immigrants settled in the north
  • The south held a military advantage in the war since many of the best soldiers were found in the south

Abraham Lincoln

  • Abraham Lincoln was elected the sixteenth president of the united states on nov. 6, 1860
  • Lincoln's republican party stood for strong centralized government and was staunchly opposed to slavery
  • During the campaign of 1860, Lincoln vowed to keep the country together while promoting the republican party's anti-slavery stance
  • When Lincoln was elected, the south was outraged. Feeling that their lifestyle and worldview was threatened, South Carolina seceded from the united states before lincoln was sworn in

Jefferson Davis

  • Jefferson Davis was president of the confederate states of america
  • During the Mexican war, he had been an officer in the united states army
  • Davis also had served as the united states secretary of war under franklin pierce
  • When the south surrendered, he was charged with treason and prohibited from running for public office again

Fort Sumter is the first battle of the civil war

Battle of Bull Run/Massas

  • The first battle of bull run took place on july 21st, 1861
  • General Irvin Mcdowell led the union army toward richmond virginia
  • Confederate forces began to retreat due to losses, except general Thomas “stonewall” Jackson who continued to fight until reinforcements arrived.
  • The reenergized confederates pushed mcdowells forces out of the area. Union casualties were high, almost three thousand; and the confederates suffered two thousand casualties
  • General Jackson sees all these guys running away he freaks out and cuts everyone off he says “Are you boy really going to lose the first battle of this war turn around and face them or you will face me”
  • Because of this he gets the name stonewall because he stood in front of them like a stonewall
  • Lee was defeated at the battle of antietam

The Emancipation Proclamation

  • President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation September 22, 1862
  • It was part of a two-part plan that guaranteed freedom to slaves in the union and confederate states. The confederate government claimed Lincoln could not issue laws over states in which he had no political control. The plan freed slaves in confederate states that had not yet rejoined the union
  • The second part took effect on January 1, 1863, applying to specific states, but not to the border states such as maryland and west virginia