Chapter 20 Reading Guide

Girding for War: The North and the South 1861-1865

Terms: Ft. Sumter, King Cotton, King Corn and Wheat, Trent Affair, Alabama, Charles Francis Adams, Laird Rams, Napoleon III, Jefferson Davis, Abraham Lincoln, William Seward, Draft Riots of 1863, Morrill Tariff of 1861, National Banking Act, Shoddy Millionaires, Homestead Act of 1862.

I.Lincoln and the Secession Crisis

A.The Menace of Secession

  1. Describe the status of the nation as Lincoln took office.
  2. What were the arguments of Lincoln’s inaugural that explain why secession is impossible?
  3. What problems would uncontested secession have caused?
B.South Carolina Assails Fort Sumter
  1. Over what issue did fighting begin?
  2. What were Lincoln’s options in dealing with Ft. Sumter?
  3. What was Lincoln’s middle of the road solution? How did the south respond?
  4. What is the significance of the fact that the south fired the first shot?
  5. What resulted from Lincoln’s decision to call up troops?
  1. Crucial Border States.
Brother’s Blood & Border Blood
  1. Which States were crucial Border States?
  2. How valuable would the Border States have been to the south?
  3. How did Lincoln deal with the Border States?
  4. How were some of his actions constitutionally questionable?
  5. Why didn’t Lincoln make the war immediately a war to end slavery?
  6. How did Lincoln answer Greeley’s questions about Lincoln’s lack of action to free slaves?
  7. Describe how the war became a war of Brother vs. Brother.

III.Balance of Power

The Balance of Forces
  1. Create a chart that shows the advantages and disadvantages of the south and the north as the war began.
  2. What are the chances for southern success at the beginning of the war?
  3. Discuss the “might have beens” that would have caused southern victory.

IV.Failure of King Cotton and the Great Southern Hope: Foreign Aid

A.Dethroning King Cotton
  1. Why did the aristocracy (poverning classes) of France & Great Britain support the south? What prevented them from openly helping the south?
  2. Why didn’t British Reliance on southern cotton cause them to break the blockade?
  3. Why didn’t the cotton weapon hit England harder?
  4. What was the value of American corn and wheat during The Civil War?
B.The Decisiveness of Diplomacy
  1. What crisis emerged over the Trent Affair? How was it resolved? Why?
  2. What crisis arose over commerce raiders such as the Alabama? What resulted?
C.Foreign Flare-ups
  1. What crisis arose over the Laird Rams? What is their significance? How was it resolved?
  2. What problems did the north have with Canada during the Civil War?
  3. How did France use the Civil War to violate The Monroe Doctrine? How was this resolved after the Civil War?

V.Lincoln Vs. Davis: Presidential Power?

Create a chart listing the advantages & disadvantages for the leaders of the North & South.

Limitations on Wartime Liberties

  1. How did Lincoln violate the constitution?
  2. How did congress respond?
  3. How did Lincoln use his Martial Powers in the Border States?
  1. Armies: North and South

Volunteers and Draftees: North and South

  1. How could the rich get out of serving in the North & South?
  2. What was the reaction of the north to the draft?
  3. Who was eligible to serve?
  1. Economic Changes During the War
  1. The Economic Stresses of War
  2. How did both the South and North pay for the war? Assess the success of each.
  3. Why was the National Banking Act passes? What was it?
  4. List in detail the economic problems of both the South and the North.
  1. The North’s Economic Boom
  2. How did manufacturing benefit from the war?
  3. What class was created from the Civil War? Describe it.
  4. How did machines affect the North’s war effort?
  5. What was happening to westward expansion during the Civil War? Why?
  1. A Crushed Cotton Kingdom

What economic effect did the Civil War have on the South? Be complete.