The Civil War Review

The Civil War Review

US History/E. Napp Name: ______

Activity 1: Reading – Overview

“The 11 Southern states united loosely under a constitution of their own and a central government called the Confederate States of America, or the Confederacy. Between 1861 and 1865, the Confederate army fought for its independence. The Northern army fought to save the Union and put down the Southern ‘rebellion.’

In general, the south had a better army for fighting a short war, but the North’s vast economic resources gave it the advantage in a long war.

Although the South won most important engagements in 1861 and 1862, two 1863 battles made it clear that momentum had shifted to the Union:

A-Gettysburg

With war supplies running low, Confederate general Robert E. Lee boldly invaded the North. Fighting erupted over three days near the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (July 1 to 3, 1863).
At first, Lee’s army won some ground but failed to push the Union army from key positions on higher land.
On the third day, Confederate troops were badly defeated when they tried to dislodge the well-protected Union troops.
Lee retreated south.
Both sides had lost thousands of men, but the Union army under General George G. Meade had won its first major battle.

B-Vicksburg

One day later, Union general Ulysses S. Grant forced the surrender of Vicksburg, a key Confederate port on the Mississippi River.
This victory split the South in two, gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, and blocked the South’s supply route from Texas.

C-Sherman’s March to the Sea

In 1864, Union general William T. Sherman led a campaign of destruction from Tennessee to the Georgia coast and northward to the Carolinas.
For the first time, civilian property was destroyed as an act of policy.

D-Richmond and Appomattox

The Confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia, was a Northern military target throughout the war.
Finally, on April 2, 1865, Lee’s army gave way and Union troops marched into Richmond.
Seven days later, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House.
The war was over.
The principle of federal supremacy over the states was secured.”

~ Reviewing U.S. History and Government

Questions:

1-How many Southern states united loosely under a constitution and a central government called the Confederacy? ______

2-What were the dates of the Civil War? ______

3-What was the primary goal of the Northern army during the Civil War? ______

4-What advantage did the South have for fighting a short war? ______

5-What advantage did the North have for fighting a long war? ______

6-Who won the most important battle engagements in 1861 and 1862? ______

7-What year was a turning point in the war? ______

8-Who was Robert E. Lee? ______

9-Why did Robert E. Lee invade the North? ______

10-Where did Robert E. Lee invade the North and when did he invade? ______

11-What did Lee’s army fail to do at Gettysburg? ______

12-Where did Lee retreat after this failure? ______

13-Who was Ulysses S. Grant? ______

14-What happened at Vicksburg? ______

15-What was Vicksburg? ______

16-How did the Confederate surrender of Vicksburg hurt the South? ______

17-Who was William T. Sherman? ______

18-What was Sherman’s March to the Sea? ______

19-What happened for the first time in the Civil War during Sherman’s March to the Sea? ______

20-What was Richmond? ______

21-What happened in Richmond on April 2, 1865? ______

22-What happened at Appomattox Court House? ______

23-What was finally over? ______

24-What principle was secured? ______

25-Why was the securing of this principle important? ______

“Lincoln was president for barely more than one term. Five months after reelection (April, 1865), he was assassinated by a Southern actor, John Wilkes Booth.

Yet Lincoln is considered one of the nation’s greatest presidents. Why?

Firm Political Purpose

As Lincoln made clear, all of his actions and decisions were directed at saving the Union.

Emancipation of Slaves

On January 1, 1863, Lincoln declared that slaves in Confederate states were now free.
This Emancipation Proclamation signaled that slavery would probably be abolished everywhere if the North won the war.

Speeches

Nobody better expressed the democratic ideal than Lincoln.
His Gettysburg Address, dedicating a military cemetery at that battle site, is among the most memorable speeches in history.

-It ends thus: ‘…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’

In his Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln expressed his compassion for all Americans, so recently at war and once again united:

-‘…With malice toward none, with charity for all,… let us…bind up the nation’s wounds,…care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan [and] achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.’”

~ Reviewing U.S. History and Government

Questions:

1-What happened to Lincoln five months after his reelection? ______

2-Who was John Wilkes Booth and what did he do? ______

3-Why was Lincoln considered one of the nation’s greatest presidents? ______

4-What was the Emancipation Proclamation? ______

5-Why is the Gettysburg Address considered a great speech? ______

6-What did Lincoln demonstrate in his Second Inaugural Address? ______

A Chart on the Comparative Strengths and Weaknesses of the Union and the Confederacy:

Union / Confederacy
Population / 22 million (1860) / 6 million free citizens
3 million slaves
Strategic Position / Numerous factories and farms able to produce massive amounts of war goods and food supplies
Superior railroad system
Control of 70% of the nation’s wealth / Little industry
Farms chiefly for producing cotton, not food
Poor railroad system
Control of 30% of the nation’s wealth
Morale / Many civilians indifferent to or against war at first
Troops far from home and family / Troops fighting in defense of their homes and families
Strong military tradition among soldiers; general expertise in riding and shooting
Experienced officers and superior generals (e.g., Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. ‘Stonewall’ Jackson)
Naval Strength / Strong navy able to blockade Southern ports and cut off vital supplies / Few ships; dependence on blockade-runners
Political Leadership / President Abraham Lincoln: tireless, active, militarily astute / President Jefferson Davis; intelligent, aloof, overly cautious
Foreign Relations / Universal recognition as legitimate government / Lack of support and recognition from Britain and other nations

~ Reviewing U.S. History and Government

Questions:

1-What was the South’s greatest advantage during the Civil War? ______

2-What was the North’s greatest advantage during the Civil War? ______

3-Analyzing the chart, why did the North win the Civil War? ______

African Americans and Women:

“Neither the North nor South allowed African Americans to serve as soldiers until 1863. By the war’s end more than 180,000 African Americans had joined the Union forces and about 38,000 had lost their lives. Twenty-two won the nation’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor.

Women were already accustomed to working long hours on farms and in industrial mills. During the war, they worked even harder, taking the places of enlisted men and producing uniforms, weapons, and other war goods.

Under such energetic leaders as Dorothea Dix and Clara Barton, women volunteers took to the battlefield to care for the wounded. After the war, Clara Barton continued her efforts by organizing the American Red Cross in 1877.”

~ Reviewing U.S. History and Government

Questions:

1-When were African Americans allowed to serve as soldiers during the Civil War? ______

2-How many African Americans had joined the Union before the war’s end? ______

3-How many African American soldiers lost their lives during the Civil War? ______

4-What is the nation’s highest military award? ______

5-How many African Americans won this award for their service in the Civil War? ______

6-What were women already accustomed to? ______

7-How did the war change women’s lives? ______

8-How did Dorothea Dix and Clara Barton contribute to the war effort? ______

9-What did Clara Barton organize after the war? ______

Multiple-Choice Questions:

One of the Union’s main advantages over the Confederacy was

(A)A large industrial base
(B)Experienced military leaders
(C)Well-trained soldiers
(D)Widespread devotion to the cause

The Battle of Gettysburg

(A)Led to an immediate end to the war
(B)Opened an invasion route to the North
(C)Inflicted a major loss on Lee’s army
(D)Gave the North control of the Mississippi River

…With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan – to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

~ President Abraham Lincoln, 1865
This statement by President Lincoln contributed to disagreements over the
(A) continuation of a military draft
(B) provision of free land to settlers
(C) negotiations with foreign nations after the Civil War
(D) treatment of the former Confederate states and their leaders

What was a major result of the Civil War?

(A) The judiciary became the dominant branch of the federal government.
(B) Congress passed an amendment to provide for the direct election of senators.
(C) The power of the central government was strengthened.
(D) States were given the right to secede from the Union.
9. I. Actions Taken by President Abraham
Lincoln During the Civil War
A. Increased the size of the army without
congressional authorization
B. Arrested and jailed anti-Unionists
without giving a reason
C. Censored some anti-Union newspapers
and had some editors and publishers
arrested
Which statement is most clearly supported by these actions of President Lincoln?
(A) Wartime emergencies led President Lincoln to expand his presidential powers.
(B) President Lincoln was impeached for violating the Constitution.
(C) Checks and balances effectively limited
President Lincoln’s actions.
(D) President Lincoln wanted to abolish the Bill of Rights /

The basic constitutional issue resolved by the Civil War was the

(A)Redistribution of national resources
(B)Process by which a state might secede
(C)Supremacy of the federal government over the states
(D)Right to destroy civilian property during wartime

Which heading best completes the partial outline below?

I. ______
A. Suspension of habeas corpus
B. Signing of Emancipation Proclamation
C. Election of President Lincoln to
second term
(A) Wartime Propaganda Campaigns
(B) Limits on Civil Liberties During Wartime
(C) Decreased Rights of Minorities
(D) Events During the Civil War

Which argument was used by President Abraham Lincoln to explain his policy of leniency toward the South after the Civil War?

(A) Most Southerners have remained loyal to the Union during the war.
(B) Most Southerners are willing to grant equality to formerly enslaved persons.
(C) The federal government has no authority to punish states for secession.
(D) Healing the nation’s wounds quickly is essential.

In his first inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln stated his main goal for the nation was to

(A) use the vote to resolve the conflict over slavery
(B) free all slaves in the United States
(C) uphold the Dred Scott decision
(D) preserve the Union
10. The North’s rapid economic growth during the Civil War was stimulated by
(1) the elimination of taxes on defense industries
(2) a reduction in the number of immigrants
(3) increased government demand for many
products
(4) enslaved persons filling industrial jobs

Essay Prompts [Previous Knowledge]:

Discuss one way in which the Rise of the Republican Party tended to promote nationalism or sectionalism.

______

Until 1861, compromise helped the United States avoid civil war.

-Identify two compromises that helped the nation avoid civil war before 1861.

-Identify two of the events of the 1850s that led to civil war.

-Explain how compromise failed to prevent a civil war.

______