The Civil War Background Chapter 16 From 7th Grade Textbook The Debate over Slavery Seeds of War - In 1850, different Senators made proposals to maintain peace - As a result of winning the Mexican-American War in 1848, US has - After debate, it was decided that added over 500,000 sq. miles of land - California would enter the Union as a Free State - With all the new territory, people were spreading out further and along - Territory from the Mexican Cession was divided into Utah and New with that, came the issue of taking with them their Slaves Mexico and citizens there would decide whether they would allow - Northerners formed a Free-Soil Party to support the Wilmot Proviso slavery or not which stated that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever - Texas gave up slavery in exchange for $$ from federal gov’t exist in any part of [the] territory.” - Outlawed slavery in Washington DC - Those living in the South wanted to maintain Slavery - Established a new Fugitive Slave Law - New States of Missouri & California want to be admitted to US but - Southerners were upset that California was a Free State there is a debate about allowing it in as a Free or Slave owning state - Northerners were opposed to Fugitive Slave Act and protested, many peacefully, but violence did erupt Antislavery Literature - The most important piece of literature of this era was Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe published in 1852 - Stowe based novel on interviews with “fugitive” slaves’ accounts of their lives in captivity-- she was 21 and living in Ohio - Summary: “A kindly enslaved African American named Tom is taken Election of 1856 from his wife and sold ‘down the river’ in Louisiana. Tom becomes - James Buchanan (Democrat) won election against John C. Frémont the slave of cruel Simon Legee. In a rage, Simon has Tom beaten to (Republican) who stood against the spread of slavery. death.” By the numbers: - W/in 10 years, over 2 million copies sold, suggesting that 2 million - Buchanan won 14 of the 15 Slave States abolitionists were created; in reality, caused a great divide between - Frémont won 11 of 16 Free States two sides of debate - Millard Fillmore won only one state- Maryland 2 Days after Buchanan because President, Supreme Court issued decision in Dred - When Lincoln met her in 1862- he referred to her as the “little lady Scott case that said African Americans were not citizens of the United States and who made this big war” couldn’t sue in federal court; also declared Missouri Compromise unconstitutional (had previously made slavery illegal above 36° 30’ dividing line) - In 1858, Republicans nominated Illinois Lawyer Abraham Lincoln for U.S. Harper’s Ferry Senate to oppose Democrat Stephen Douglas (who had represented - October 16, 1859- John Brown tried to incite an uprising when he and his men state since 1847) took over arsenal in Harper’s Ferry, VA- tried to encourage slaves to aid them, - Lincoln was very critical of Douglas and Dem.’s philosophy on slavery but none came - Debated one another many times - Local white southerners attacked Brown and men, killing 8 - Ultimately Lincoln lost election but - Federal troops led by Robert E. Lee captured him and his men; Brown was Gained a great deal of national attention convicted of treason, murder & conspiracy; judge ordered him to be hanged on Dec. 2, 1859 (one month after trial) - Northerners either mourned or criticized Brown’s extreme actions Election of 1860 - Most southern whites felt threatened by this event and feared another uprising as an imitation of this first one - Northern Democrats nominated Stephen Douglas - Southern Democrats nominated John C. Breckinridge (Buchanan’s VP) - Many newspapers suggested separating from the Union to preserve the - Constitutional Union Party nominated John Bell (a slaveholder) safety of the people - Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln Although he only won 40% of popular votes, Lincoln won election with 180 of 183 electoral votes belonging to Free States. Southerners were outraged. Lincoln carried no votes in their territory and yet he was their new President. - Lincoln insisted he wouldn’t change slavery in the south, but did state he would not allow it to expand - Within a week of Lincoln’s election, SC legislature elected to dissolve their agreement with the current Union, basically voting to Secede from nation - Other states soon followed - Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana & Texas seceded and formed The Confederate States of America (aka the Confederacy) in Feb. 1861 - As states seceded, Lincoln reminded them that there were federally Chapter 16 Section 1: The War Begins held locations that the Union still had the power to control Key Terms: (don’t write these down, we will come to them throughout notes) - April 1861- Confederate troops surrounded Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC - Abraham Lincoln - Lincoln sent ships w/ supplies to defend the fort; Confederates - Fort Sumter demanded federal troops evacuate and they refused - Border states - Winfield Scott - April 12, 1861-- Confederates opened fire on Fort Sumter thus - Cotton diplomacy beginning the Civil War - After 34 hours of fighting, Fort Sumter surrendered and became the first Confederate victory - After the fall of Ft. Sumter, Lincoln asked state governors for 75,000 - DE, KY, MD, MO were left as border states that did not join militiamen to quash the rebellion; Stephen Douglas declared “There can Confederacy be no neutrals in this war, only patriots-- or traitors.” - WV became its own state gov’t in 1863 - In response, NJ & PA did what Lincoln asked, so did states to their north After separating from VA - NC, TN, VA & AR seceded - Many families, especially in border states, had relatives on both sides of conflict - Mary Todd Lincoln had 4 brothers That fought for Confederates North South North South Officers Fewer strong officers Many strong officers put into battle Population (from which to 22 million 5.5 million draw workers/soldiers) Strategy ● General Winfield Scott’s ● Much open space, drew North Railroad 22,000 miles of tracks 9,000 miles of track goals to them to fight so they knew A. destroy South’s economy lay of the land Economy ● Coal, iron, wheat & wool ● Highly agricultural and w/ naval blockades ● In VA, rivers run east to west production increased (to could supply army with B. gain control of Mississippi forcing Union troops to attack supply military) plenty of food River to divide south from side ● Corn, wheat, beef & ● Began printing ● Other leaders urged attack ● Cotton Diplomacy: President pork export increased to Confederate dollars on Confederate Capital, Jefferson Davis hoped GB Europe (some states printed Richmond, VA would support them b/c of ● Had a stable currency their own, too) cotton exports but failed b/c (greenbacks) ● Exports decreased b/c they had supplies from India & of Union Blockades Egypt Preparing for War - Union Army has 16,000 volunteer soldiers at start of the war; within months they had half-million soldiers - Civilians on both sides helped.-- they raised $$ & provided aid to soldiers and families - Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell (first female to receive license to practice medicine) pressured Pres. Lincoln to form U.S. Sanitary Commission in June 1861 to send bandages, medicines & food to Union army camps & hospitals - Approx. 3,000 women served as nurses in Union Army Source: https://www.civilwar.org/learn/articles/north-and-south - Volunteers on both sides were usually teachers, farmers and laborers that - Uniforms: troops faced had very little experience in fighting shortages of clothing, - Discipline & Drill were used to turn volunteers into effective soldiers food & rifles; many just wore their own clothes - Soldiers were provided w/ rifles (usually) and needed to learn to load, aim & for a while. Eventually, fire 3 times in one minute each side chose a uniform - Rifles were either Springfield or Enfields and had very poor accuracy - Union: Blue Confederate: Gray - Tents were issued by Union armies, but soldiers often discarded b/c they weren’t very portable; Confederate soldiers were not issued tents but rather used ones they captured from Union Soldiers Complete Section 1 Assessment Section 2: The War in the East Complete questions 1-3 (including ALL parts) Key Terms: - Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson - First Battle of Bull Run Pg 515 - George B. McClellan - Robert E. Lee - Seven Days’ Battle - Second Battle of Bull Run - Battle of Antietam - ironclads Section 2: The War in the East - First Battle of Bull Run/ Manassas - July 1861 Lincoln orders General Irvin McDowell to lead 35,000 man army from Washington DC to Richmond. They were thoroughly unprepared and untrained; covered only 5 miles the first day - On their way, they would pass through Manassas and knew if he took it, he could control route to Richmond - Confederate General Pierre G.T. Beauregard was there w/ 22,000 troops waiting along Bull Run Creek July 21, 1861: First Battle of Bull Run/ Manassas - Union finally gave up and tried to leave in orderly manner, but spectators clogged - Most troops had arrived at fighting grounds and began to battle roads and they scattered in chaos - One soldier remarked “There is Jackson standing like a stone wall!” Which is where General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson got his nickname when he stood - Confederates lacked strength to continue north to Washington DC, but they had his ground w/ his troops and would not back down secured their first victory, shattering the Union’s hopes of a quick and easy war - Battle continued through the day while spectators from Washington DC picnicked and watched More Battles in Virginia June 1862 - Bull Run showed Lincoln he needed a stronger army so he put - Robert E. Lee takes control of Confederate Army in Virginia General George P.