The Civil War Flash Cards
The Civil War
Causes of the Civil War-
Missouri Compromise (1820)
Compromise of 1850
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Dred Scott Decision
Presidential Election of 1860
Lincoln won the election without a single vote from the south
This angered them to the point of secession
Secession-
December 20, 1860, South Carolina leaves
February 1, 1861, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas seceded from the United States
Creates their own constitution (almost identical to the US constitution), pulls people out of Congress, and stops all trade
Lincoln believes it is illegal & will fight to preserve the Union
Confederate States of America-
February 4, 1861
Jefferson Davis is elected president
Lincoln attempts to prevent other states from leaving
Despite that, four more states leave, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas
Virginia leaving is a big deal because it was the richest state
West Virginia exists because of this
The capital of the Confederacy becomes Richmond
Fort Sumter-
Federal Fort
Controls access to Charlotte Harbor, South Carolina
March 1861 Federal Troops low on supplies
April 12, 1861 Confederates began a siege
The siege lasted 34 hours
No deaths, but it was the first battle and shots of the Civil War
Strengths and Weaknesses-
North Strengths-
Population
Industry
More access to weapons
Railroads
Naval Power
North Weaknesses-
Less Military Leaders
No General Lee
Attacks first
South Strengths-
General Lee
Loyal to his state
One of the best generals in American history
Military Leaders
Defensive War
Don’t attack first
Closer to supplies
Knows the territory
South Weaknesses-
No Navy
Fewer people to fight
Less access to weapons and supplies
Fewer Railroads
North’s Plan-
Anaconda Plan (Winfield Scott from Mexican War)
Windfield Scott has become overweight and developed gout
Is still very bright (creates the Anaconda Plan)
The South feels like they are being discriminated against
Smother the South economically
But too slow, Lincoln orders an attack on Richmond
George McClellan
Looks good on paper but the Anaconda Plan was much better
South’s Plan-
Defensive Position
Tire out the North
King Cotton Diplomacy
The South controls around 80% of cotton production
The South threatens to remove the cotton supply from Britain if they don’t back them
Britain has warehouses full of cotton and also trades with Egypt for cotton
New Fighting Styles-
Trench warfare
In a ditch so you could have a smaller target and duck if you’re shot at
Reinforced barricades
Slows down the enemies to be shot at
High Casualty Rates
600,000 people died in the civil war
More died from diseases than in combat
People's immune systems were weakened because of unhealthy conditions
Trench foot
Doctors had to amputate people's feet
People were unable to fight infections because their bodies weren’t able to repair themselves because of bad conditions
Naval Blockade of ports
New to America
The Battle of Bull Run /The Battle of Manassas-
The first true battle of the Civil War
The battle brought spectators
Generals:
Irvin McDowell
Union - North
He is not known for his general-like qualities
Known for loving food
He ate a watermelon all by himself
Stonewall Jackson
Confederacy - South
He is known for his general-like qualities
Creates the rebel yell
Gets his nickname from holding off the Yankees like a stone wall
Over view:
Confederate Victory
South: 1
North: 0
Union (North) losses: 2,896 killed and wounded
Confederate losses: 1,982 killed and wounded
Lincoln discovers that he needs to follow the Anaconda Plan
Needs permission from congress
Improved Technology-
Napoleon Cannon
Not a new concept
But the original cannon is only useful against large crowds
The new cannon has the ammo explode after making contact with the ground
Canister shot
Rifles - Forced change of tactics
Musket - gunpowder, musket ball, paper
It is not perfectly accurate because of the roundness of the musket ball
Creates Rifling
Ridges on the side of the musket
Keeps the bullet from rolling around when it's shot
Musket now uses a mini ball (which is shaped like the current bullet)
Because of the heat, it expands and makes the bullet more accurate
It is owned by the North
Trains
Not new
Mainly in the North
Constantly expanding
Connects the East to the West during the Civil ar
Telegraphs
Would be sent in Morse code
But the runners were too slow
They were also targeted by the enemy
Telegraphs allowed messages to be sent much quicker and safer
Cameras
People who weren’t in war never knew what war looked like
No action shots but the aftermath
Allowed war to be talked about more
Ironsides
Boats with iron so they wouldn’t get blown up as easily
Battle of New Orleans-
April 25, 1862
Flag Officer David Farragut
Navy Commander
Unlike most American citizens he has no loyalty to the south
His loyalty lies with the U.S. Navy
The Navy is in the north
Wants to take over the Mississippi River
Problems:
There are two ports Jackson and Phillip which would cause the ship to get caught in the crossfire during a water battle
He comes up with a plan to wait for a huge wind to push the boat up the Mississippi River
It worked and they only lost two ships
Then they open fire at the back ends of the Jackson and Phillip forts until they surrender
North: 1
South: 1
Seven Days Battle-
June 25 - July 1, 1862
George McClellan attempts to take Richmond
The Army of Northern Virginia faces greater casualties
Union retreats
After the Second Bull Run, the Union withdrew to Washington
George McClellan is truly a coward
Is also horrible at combat
Johnston (South) is replaced by Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee makes Jeb Stuart scout out the enemy
Jeb Stuart has horses
Battle of Antietam-
September 17, 1862
Lee hoping to invade the North
Union soldiers find Lee’s plan
This battle is the bloodiest day in American History
Over 50,000 dead within an hour
McClellan fails to pursue
McClellan doesn’t follow them because the plan doesn’t include the retreat
Lincoln revoked the army from McClellan and fired him
Lincoln struggles to find the perfect general
North: 2
South: 1
The Emancipation Proclamation-
Timing
They had recently beaten the south
Mainly Symbolic
The South doesn’t listen to Lincoln
Practical Effects
Shows the rest of the world that America will never be a half-free country and half-slave country again
The subject of the war has changed
The war is now against slavery and an attempt to bring the United States back together
African Americans-
Colored regiments
African American troops
African Americans could be a part of the army but were not allowed to lead and were given the worst tasks
Were not treated like soldiers
Massachusetts 54th
Despite the unfairness of the army, the African Americans fought better and with fewer casualties than the white soldiers
Chancellorsville-
Hooker vs. Lee
April 30 - May 6, 1863
While out on a reconnaissance mission
Stonewall Jackson is mortally wounded by friendly fire
Stonewall Jackson dies
Lee called this “losing my right arm”
CSA finally won, pushing back the Union forces
North: 2
South: 2
Battle of Gettysburg-
July 1-3 1863
Pickett’s Charge
Pickett’s job was to go up the middle of Cemetary Ridge and allow the rest of the army to come around the back
The battle was a failure and there were 7,000 casualties because of it
Turning point of the war
North: 3
South: 2
Gettysburg address
45-second speech that was dedicated to the cemetery that was made for the Gettysburg soldiers
Allowed the North to have the motivation to beat the South
Siege at Vicksburg-
Ulysses Grant
Wasn’t good at peaceful military duties but was good at war
Win-at-all-cost mentality
Series of battles followed by siege (May 18- July 4th)
The last stronghold on the Mississippi
Named Vicksburg
Takes a month and a half to take siege of the town
They were successful
But the North lost 10,000 men
Congress wants to fire him but Lincoln promotes him
Cuts the South into two
Grant makes a plan to end the war
William T. Sherman is called upon by Grant to break the spirit of the South
Sherman’s Total War/March to the Sea-
September 1, 1864
Atlanta-Savannah
Burns down almost everything in the area to break the spirit of the South
Georgia is completely destroyed
Election of 1864-
Election held in the North
Lincoln (Republican) vs. McClellan (Democrat)
Lincoln wanted to ensure border state support
Andrew Johnson
Sherman’s March to the Sea
Showed the voters in the North that Lincoln knew what he was doing
Lincoln won the election by over 4,000 votes
Grant’s Virginia Campaign-
Starting in May 1864
Wilderness
Lee was forced to retreat
Spotsylvania
Lee was forced to retreat
Cold Harbor
Lee was forced to retreat
Petersburg - 10 months seige
The troops are dying and men are resorting to eating their shoes
Lee left Richmond
He takes down the confederate flag and the war officially ends
April 3 1865-Union army takes Richmond
Appomattox Court House-
On April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered to Grant
Generous terms of surrender
Soldiers lay down weapons and go home
Grant fed the hungry soldiers after releasing them
A civilized ending to a brutal war
Battle of Hampton Roads 1 -
The Confederate ship “The Virginia” was originally named the “Merrimack”
Union ship - The Monitor
Battle in 1862 off the coast of Virginia
Lasted four hours, and ended in a draw
Battle of Hampton Roads 2-
March 8-9, 1862
On the first day, the CSS Virginia attacked and sank two traditional US ships
Made out of wood instead of ironclad
On the second day, the CSS Virginia returned to attack a grounded ship and was met by the Monitor
They battled against eachother for four hours with no near winners
Both returned to port for repairs
Changed naval technology worldwide