Key Terms – Chapter 15: The Crucible of War (1861–1865)
Fort Sumter:
The federal fort in Charleston, South Carolina, where the Civil War began in April 1861 after Confederate forces attacked.
Battle of Bull Run (Manassas):
The first major battle of the Civil War, resulting in a Confederate victory and ending hopes for a quick Union win.
Battle of Antietam:
The bloodiest single day in American history (September 1862), leading to a strategic Union victory and the Emancipation Proclamation.
Battle of Shiloh:
A fierce Union victory in Tennessee (April 1862) that showed the war would be long and bloody.
Union blockade:
A Union naval strategy to cut off the Confederacy’s trade and cripple its economy.
King Cotton diplomacy:
The Confederate attempt to use cotton exports to persuade Britain and France to support their cause.
Contraband of war:
A term for escaped enslaved people who sought refuge with Union forces during the war.
Emancipation Proclamation:
President Lincoln’s 1863 decree that freed slaves in Confederate-held territories.
New York City draft riots:
July 1863 violent protests by mainly Irish immigrants against the draft and Black citizens.
Siege of Vicksburg:
A major Union victory that captured Vicksburg, Mississippi, and gained control of the Mississippi River.
Battle of Gettysburg:
A turning point battle (July 1863) in Pennsylvania, ending Lee’s invasion of the North.
Sherman’s March to the Sea:
Union General Sherman’s 1864 campaign of destruction from Atlanta to Savannah, breaking Southern morale.
Key Terms Based on the Strengths and Weaknesses Chart
South’s Population:
Smaller population with about 9 million people, including 3.5 million enslaved individuals.
North’s Population:
Larger population of about 22 million, offering a bigger pool for soldiers and labor.
South’s Industry:
Limited industrial capacity, relying mostly on agriculture and few factories.
North’s Industry:
Strong industrial power, producing most of the nation's manufactured goods and supplies.
South’s Financial Resources:
Weaker financial system, dependent mainly on cotton exports and lacking a strong banking network.
North’s Financial Resources:
Robust financial system with established banks and greater access to credit and resources.
South’s Leadership:
Superior early military leadership with generals like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.
North’s Leadership:
Weaker early military leadership but improved as the war progressed with generals like Ulysses S. Grant.
South’s War Strategy:
Defensive strategy aimed at outlasting the North’s will to fight and gaining foreign support.
North’s War Strategy:
Offensive strategy including blockades, capturing key Confederate territories, and dividing the South.
Civil War Flashcards
Q: What event marked the beginning of the Civil War?
A: The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861.
Q: What was Lincoln's position on slavery during his first inauguration?
A: He intended to protect slavery where it existed and uphold the Fugitive Slave Act.
Q: What states seceded after the attack on Fort Sumter?
A: Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
Q: What did the First Confiscation Act allow?
A: The Union could seize Confederate property, including enslaved people.
Q: What was the significance of the Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)?
A: It was the first major battle, ended hopes of a quick war, and boosted Confederate morale.
Q: When was slavery abolished in U.S. territories and D.C.?
A: March 1862.
Q: What were escaped enslaved people classified as by Union forces in March 1862?
A: Contraband of war.
Q: What was the result of the Battle of Shiloh?
A: Union victory with over 20,000 casualties, ending Confederate hopes in the Western theater.
Q: What did the Homestead Act of 1862 offer?
A: 160 acres of free land for five years of farming.
Q: What did the Militia Act of July 1862 do?
A: Allowed Black men to enlist in segregated Union regiments.
Q: What act created a national currency during the Civil War?
A: The Legal Tender Act of February 1862.
Q: What battle gave Lincoln the confidence to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation?
A: The Battle of Antietam.
Q: What did the Emancipation Proclamation declare?
A: All enslaved people in Confederate-held territory were free.
Q: What did the Siege of Vicksburg accomplish?
A: Gave the Union control of the Mississippi River.
Q: What was significant about the Battle of Gettysburg?
A: It was the largest battle and marked the last Confederate invasion of the North.
Q: What happened during the NYC Draft Riots?
A: Violent protests by working-class men against the draft and racial tensions.
Q: Who became commander-in-chief of all Union forces in March 1864?
A: Ulysses S. Grant.
Q: What was Sherman's military strategy in Georgia?
A: A 'March to the Sea' using total war.
Q: What did Sherman give Lincoln in December 1864?
A: The city of Savannah.
Q: When did Lee surrender to Grant?
A: April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House.
Q: Who assassinated Abraham Lincoln and when?
A: John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865.
Q: How many soldiers died in the Civil War?
A: Approximately 750,000.
Q: Who was the Union General at the First Battle of Bull Run?
A: Irvin McDowell.
Q: Who developed the Union's 'Anaconda Plan'?
A: Winfield Scott.
Q: Who led the Confederate forces at Bull Run?
A: P.G.T. Beauregard.
Q: Which Union General faced Lee at Antietam?
A: George McClellan.
Q: Who surrendered to Grant at Appomattox?
A: Robert E. Lee.
Q: What victories helped Grant rise to power?
A: Captures of Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, and Battle of Shiloh.
Q: Who was killed at the Battle of Shiloh?
A: Albert Sidney Johnston.
Q: Who led the Union's March to the Sea?
A: William Tecumseh Sherman.
Q: Which Union General used a scorched earth policy?
A: Philip Sheridan.
Q: Who founded the American Red Cross after serving as a nurse in the war?
A: Clara Barton.
Q: Who was a Black woman nurse during the Civil War?
A: Susie King Taylor.
Q: Who was the President of the Confederacy?
A: Jefferson Davis.