(10) American Pageant Chapter 20-21 APUSH Review

Overview of the Civil War

• The Civil War officially begins with the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861.

• Prior to this, seven Southern states seceded from the Union due to Lincoln's election on a Free Soil platform.

Lincoln's Early Presidency and Strategy

• Lincoln asserts that the Southern states have no right to secede and pledges not to interfere with slavery in current slave states.

• His main goal was to maintain federal properties, particularly Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, which was low on supplies.

• The Confederacy's attack on Fort Sumter marked the start of the Civil War, uniting Northerners around preserving the Union and leading to the enlistment of volunteers.

Border States

• Key border states: Missouri, Kentucky, Delaware, and Maryland.

• Importance of border states:

  • They are slave states that remained with the Union, crucial for maintaining troop numbers and manufacturing capacity.

  • Their geographic locations are vital as they surround Washington, D.C.

  • Lincoln employs various measures to keep these states in the Union, including martial law and suspension of habeas corpus.

Advantages and Disadvantages in the War

Union Advantages

• Industrial resources concentrated in the North, supporting manufacturing.

• Superior transportation infrastructure, including railroads.

• Established federal government and military leadership.

• Larger population: 22 million in the North vs. 9 million in the South.

Union Disadvantages

• Initial lack of strong military leadership; many top generals sided with the Confederacy.

• Some Northern sentiment questioned the purpose of fighting, with calls to let the South go.

Confederacy Advantages

• Defensive war strategy; fighting on home territory with support from local populations.

• Strong military leadership from experienced officers.

• A sense of purpose: defending Southern culture and honor.

Confederacy Disadvantages

• Lack of naval power, government structure, and resources for a sustained industrial effort.

• Fragmented efforts due to states' rights ideology, which hampered unified action.

Conscription and Civil Liberties

• Union's Conscription Act of March 1863 required all men aged 20 to 45 to register for the draft, leading to perceived inequities, like the $300 exemption.

• Riots ensued, particularly the New York City draft riots in July 1863.

• Lincoln declares he is not fighting the war to end slavery to keep border states aligned with the Union.

Emancipation and Shifts in War Goals

• The war gradually shifts to an emancipation goal, influenced by military and ideological reasons.

• Confiscation Acts in 1861 and 1862 aimed to undermine the South's economy by declaring slaves free who were used for insurrection.

• The Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863) follows the Union victory at Antietam, freeing slaves only in Confederate states while exempting border states.

Impacts of the Emancipation Proclamation

• Strengthens Northern moral cause; reframes the war as a battle against slavery.

• Deters European intervention, particularly from England.

• Validates enlistment of over 180,000 African Americans into the Union Army.

African American Soldiers and Civil Rights

• Frederick Douglass advocated for African American enlistment as a means to prove citizenship.

• Despite facing discrimination, many African Americans served valiantly, most notedly in the Massachusetts 54th Regiment.

Executive Power and Civil Liberties

• Lincoln expands executive power during the war, often infringing on civil liberties, such as suspending habeas corpus to ensure national security.

• Passed various war measures without Congressional approval, including blockades.

Politics and Legislation During the War

• The absence of Southern political power allows for progressive legislation from Republicans.

• Key legislation includes:

  • Morrill Tariff (1861): Increases tariffs to fund the war effort.

  • Homestead Act (1862): Encourages Western settlement.

  • Legal Tender Act (1862): Introduces paper currency.

  • Pacific Railway Act (1862): Establishes a northern route for the Transcontinental Railroad.

Consequences of the Civil War

• Massive casualties: Over 600,000 deaths.

• Destruction of the Southern economy; acceleration of Northern industrialization.

• Preservation of the Union and defeat of secession and nullification ideologies.

• The Civil War ultimately tests and upholds American democracy.

• The passage of the 13th Amendment emancipates four million slaves, reshaping the nation.