Presentation Transcript

1. The civil war

   A House Divided
2. Election of 1860 Northern and Southern Democrats so divided they split completely Split allowed Lincoln, who carried the North, to win the election Both houses of Congress are now in Northern hands, and who the South viewed as an “abolitionist” was now president
3. The South Secedes December 20, 1860 South Carolina secedes By February 1, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas had also left Four others – Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas – were waiting
4. The Confederacy February 1861 representatives of the seven states met in Montgomery, Alabama Wrote constitution – recognized slavery Elected Jefferson Davis, former U.S. senator from Mississippi, as president Called themselves the Confederate States of America
5. Fort Sumter Located in Charleston Harbor, SC Angered South Carolinians that it was still in the hands of the North April 12, 1861 – Confederate artillery opened fire –first shots of the war Within two days fort was in Confederate hands – only one person was killed (cannon backfired)
6. Fort sumter
7. Beginning of the war Lincoln calls for 75,000 volunteers to serve 90 days – forced slave states to choose a side Border states – Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri – in MD, KY, and MO southern sympathies were strong Maryland placed under military rule, Missouri never leaves union, Kentucky joined Union after Confederate troops invade
8. North – south goals North Lincoln didn’t make slavery key issue (save the Union was) Anaconda plan – “choke” the Confederacy South To be left alone, slavery unchanged Fight a defensive war Make British and French dependence on southern cotton a factor
9. 1st Battle of Bull run First major battle of the war Confederates call it 1st Manassas Chaotic battle – Confederate victory Ended all hopes for a quick war
10. War in the west Northern goal of gaining Mississippi river valley Ulysses S. Grant wins major battle at Shiloh (pictured right) However, ended northern hopes that rebellion would end on its own Union fleet under David Farragut moves north along Mississippi and captures New Orleans
11. War in the east Robert E. Lee takes over command of Army of Northern Virginia in May 1862 Lee most accomplished of all officers in U.S. – Lincoln had offered him command of Union troops – Lee could not fight against his native Virginia
12. War in the east Leader of Union troops in the East was George McClellan McClellan had huge advantages in numbers, but delayed attack again and again August 1862 lost Second Batle of Bull Run Defeats in VA led to poor morale in North
13. Lee invades the north Lee asks Davis for permission to invade Maryland – a win on Union soil might force North to ask for peace Crossed Potomac into Maryland Sept. 17 Battle of Antietam – bloodiest single day of the war Casualties on both sides more than 23,000 Lee returns to Virginia
14. African Americans and the war Slave labor fed southern soldiers; allowed white males to fight Jan. 1, 1863 Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation – freed all slaves in areas that were in rebellion against the Union Also encouraged freedmen to join Union forces 180,000 African Americans served in Union army
15. Conditions for soldiers Disease biggest killer – mumps, measles, smallpox Poor sanitation, polluted water Civil war soldiers spent majority of their time in camp; they drilled, wrote letters, played baseball Conditions for prisoners of war – terrible in most cases Most notorious prisoner of war camp – Confederate stockade at Andersonville, Georgia
16. Home front Conditions bad on both sides, but especially for the South Widespread property damage, shortages of everything Inflation; Confederate government printed more and more money, which led to value of dollar going down 1862 Confederate congress adopts first military draft in American history 1863 Union also began drafting soldiers – led to riots throughout the North
17. Women and the war Women took over farms, plantations, stores, businesses while men went to fight Clara Barton, who later started the American Red Cross, treated soldiers on battlefield
18. Blockade runners Southerners depended on blockade runners (low, sleek, fast ships) to bring in desired goods such as soap, pepper, silk, and later medicine and military supplies To break the Union blockade, Confederates built an ironclad called the Virginia; Union answered with their own iron clad Monitor March 9, 1862 – first naval battle between ironclads – changed naval warfare forever
19. Fighting continues Union suffers disastrous loss at Fredericksburg in Dec. 1862 General Joseph Hooker then took command Lee wins decisive battle at Chancellorsville with a surprise attack Some call Lee’s greatest victory
20. Battle of Gettysburg Probably most famous battle of the Civil War Takes place over three days – July 1-3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Armies fought from two ridges – standstill after two days of fighting Lee had attacked both flanks on the first two days; he thought the Union line would be weak in the center Ordered General George Pickett to lead a forced march of 15,000 men to attack the center of Union lines at Cemetery Ridge
21. Battle of gettysburg “Pickett’s Charge” was a disastrous day for the Confederates – some say the turning point in the war Less than half the men who undertook the attack returned Then next day, on July 4, Confederates began their march back into Virginia Lee suffered 28,000 casualties out of 75,00 men Union had 23,000 casualties out of 85,000
22. Vicksburg At the same time, Grant had been laying siege on Vicksburg, which was a Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi For weeks, Union artillery shelled the city; aimed to starve them into submission July 4, Confederates at Vicksburg surrendered Residents of Vicksburg, MS did not celebrate the nation’s holiday again until 1945 Gettysburg and Vicksburg definite turning points of the war
23. 1864 March Lincoln gives Grant command of all Union armies – William T. sherman replaces Grant in the west Battle of the Wilderness – fighting so intense the woods catch fire; heavy casualties and loss of life continued; Grant continues to press the issue June – Cold Harbor; Union still without a victory; Grant presses on; Grant starts being called “the butcher” Sherman begins his march across Georgia to Atlanta, which was Souths’ second-most important manufacturing and rail center
24. Union generals SHERMAN GRANT
25. Sherman’s march By mid-July Sherman was laying siege to Atlanta; on September 2 Union forces enter the city Sherman then begins his “march to the sea” – cutting across Georgia with some 60,000 men Sherman’s men killed livestock, burned and destroyed crops, businesses, barns, homes –”scorched earth” policy Army captures Savannah in December and then moves on to South Carolina
26. Election of 1864 Sherman’s capture of Atlanta turned public opinion on Lincoln’s side Easily defeats George McClellan and wins re-election as president
27. End of war April 1865 Confederates flee Richmond; Lee found himself surrounded Rather than suffer more losses, surrenders to Grant at Appomatox Court House, Virginia on April 9, 1865