What Caused the War of Northern Aggression (AKA THE CIVIL WAR)?

The (UN)Civil War (AKA: War Between the States, War of the Rebellion, War for Southern Independence, Second American Revolution, War of Northern Aggression) 1861-1865 Chs. 20-21

What Caused the War of Northern Aggression (AKA THE CIVIL WAR)? Sectionalism? Economic differences? States Rights? Slavery?

What Caused the Civil War? Sectionalism? Economic differences? States Rights? SLAVERY

The State of the Union March 1861 Lincoln becomes president of the dis-united States Seven states had already seceded Lincoln has his hands full to say the least

The Menace of Secession According to Lincoln, secession was impractical Physically speaking, we cannot separate. Uncontested secession would create controversy National debt? Federal territories? The European view

Fort Sumter Forts in the South When Lincoln took office, only two significant forts in the South had not fallen under Confederate control One was Ft. Sumter (SC) Ft. Sumter needed to be re-supplied; if it was not, it would have to be surrendered

Fort Sumter Lincoln s options Re-supply the fort, likely triggering armed conflict (Lose) Do not re-supply and be forced to surrender (Lose) Lincoln notified SC that he would be sending provisions (no men, ammo, etc.) to Ft. Sumter 12 April 1861 SC opens fire on Ft. Sumter (first shots) Ft. surrendered by federal forces South looks like the bad guys Why?

Let the War Begin!!!! 15 April 1861 Lincoln issues call to the states for 75,000 militia High volunteer turnout Lincoln declares blockade of Southern seaports South sees call for troops as an act of war New states join the CSA Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia

Brother s Blood and Border Blood Only slave states left were the Border States Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia The importance of the border states Lincoln declares martial law in Maryland Union soldiers deployed to Missouri and West Virginia Lincoln made it very clear at the beginning of the war that he was not fighting to free the blacks Why would he do this?

Brother s Blood and Border Blood Lincoln insisted that he was trying to save the Union Role of Native Americans Billy Yank and Johnny Reb Senator Crittenden s predicament

The Balance of Forces Union v. Confederate

Advantages Disadvantages North Larger Population Large Area to Conquer Strong Navy Unfamiliar Land 90% of the Nation s Industry South Defensive War Few Factories Military Skills Defending their Way of Life Better Officers (Lee, Few Railroads Small Population Weak Central

Slave / Free State Populations, 1861

Railroad Track

Resources

Fighting Forces Present

Dethroning King Cotton The South counted on foreign intervention never got it Europe s ruling classes appeared sympathetic to the Confederate cause The masses in Britain and France were pulling for the North British textile mills depended upon the South for 75% of their cotton The South counted on economic need (cotton)to encourage foreign intervention

Dethroning King Cotton Why did King Cotton fail? Crop yields between 1857-1860 produced surpluses in British warehouses By the time the British really started to hurt, Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation (war now over slavery OFFICIALLY) Alternative cotton markets in Egypt and India

The Decisiveness of Diplomacy European rulers used the Civil War as an opportunity to exploit the United States Trent Affair (1861) The Alabama British built Confederate raiding vessel One war at a time. American promise revenge Canada?

Davis vs. Lincoln I AM NOT LINCOLN!! Confederate govt. is heavily flawed Govt. could not deny right of states to SECEDE FROM THE CONFEDERACY!! While Davis sought to centralize the Confederate govt., he met opposition from states rights advocates Difficult to tell states what to do!!!

Davis vs. Lincoln Davis was never very popular Inclined to defy public opinion Was his job impossible?

Davis vs. Lincoln Lincoln has the advantage of not having to CREATE A GOVT. FROM SCRATCH Obviously this made his job a little easier Lincoln was a better leader, politician Able to take constructive criticism from colleagues

Lincoln A Tyrant??????? Lincoln swore to uphold the Constitution but did he? Since Congress was not in session when the war broke out, Lincoln took the liberty to take some actions that were not technically within his powers Declared a blockade Increased the size of the army Suspended habeas corpus (BIG NO NO) Supervised voting in Border States Suspension of newspapers, arrest of editors

Volunteers and Draftees: North and South At the beginning of the war, Northern armies were manned entirely by volunteers Each state was assigned a quota By 1863, volunteer number had dropped dramatically In response, Congress passed a federal conscription law. Provisions were unfair to the poor, favorable to the rich Wealthy men could hire substitutes or purchase exemption for $300 New York City draft riots (1863)

Volunteers and Draftees: North and South More than 90% of Union troops were volunteers Bounties for enlistment Like the North, at first the South mainly relied on volunteers Conscription comes earlier in the South Slaveowners with 20 or more slaves could claim exemption Rich man s war. Poor man s fight.

The Economic Stresses of War North more financially stables than the South Morrill Tariff Act (1861) Tariff increase from 5 to 10% Greenbacks Sale of war bonds National Banking System (1863) Created to sell bonds and issue sound currency

The Economic Stresses of War Confederate war bonds were sold at home and abroad States rights advocates opposed to direct taxation When you need money.just print more!!! This leads to inflation ($ is worthless) By the end of the war, each Confederate dollar is worth a little over 1 cent

The North s Economic Boom War encourages industry The fortunes of war Civil War would witness the emergence of a millionaire class for the first time in American history Northern grain production

The North s Economic Boom Civil War opens up new opportunities for women Women head to work in industry Dorothea Dix superintendent of nurses Organized bazaars that raised money for the war effort

A Crushed Cotton Kingdom South devastated by the war 1860 30% of the nation s wealth; 1870 10% Collapse of transportation Captains of Industry victorious over Lords of the Manor Industrial Revolution Did the South ever recover???

The Furnace of Civil War Ch. 21

Bull Run Ends the Ninety-Day War April 1861 Lincoln envisioned a war that would last only 90 days Try 4 years On to Richmond! As the public clamors for action, Lincoln looks to force a battle at Bull Run (Manassas Junction) near Washington

Bull Run Ends the Ninety-Day War Raw Yankee recruits had no idea what they were getting into as they left Washington on 21 July 1861 People trailed along with the army with picnic baskets in hopes of watching the battle Initially, battle went well for the Yanks However, Stonewall Jackson rallied his forces until they were reinforced "There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Confederate forces victorious Significance: Victory inflated the Southern ego (not good) Reality check for the North

McClellan and the Peninsula Campaign Late 1861 George B. McClellan given command of the Army of the Potomac McClellan was an excellent organizer and motivator He was unwilling to take risks and overcautious Lincoln finally has enough; issues order to advance

Tardy George and the Peninsula Campaign McClellan decides on a water-borne approach to Richmond Spring 1862 McClellan slowly closing in on Confederate capital of Richmond Lincoln diverts McClellan s forces to chase Stonewall Jackson; Jackson and his men were wreaking havoc in the Shenandoah Valley, approaching Washington D.C. Seven Days Battles (26 June 2 July 1862) Lee drives McClellan back Union forces abandon the Peninsula Campaign Lincoln abandons McClellan

38 Peninsula Campaign, 1862

Peninsula Campaign Robert E. Lee achieves victory but at what cost? 20,000 casualties What if? time If Lee had lost and the war had ended in 1862, slavery may very well have survived in the South Lincoln is now intent on punishing the South long-term

New Union Strategy (Total War) Blockade southern coast Liberate the slaves; undermine southern economy Seize control of the MS River; isolate the South Capture Richmond Engage the enemy main strength whenever possible Chop Confederacy to pieces by sending troops through GA and Carolinas

The War at Sea Union blockade is very leaky at first Union concentrates blockade on major cotton ports International reaction to blockade Blockade running high risk, high reward

The War at Sea Confederate Merrimack Wood vessel reinforced with iron (ironclad) Threatened Union blockade Monitor vs. Merrimack 9 March 1862 First meeting of ironclad warships Draw Production of ironclad vessels begins; revolution in naval shipbuilding

The Pivotal Point: Antietam After defending Richmond, Lee looked to the North Confederate victory at Second Bull Run (29-30 August 1862) Lee s 1 st invasion of the North Lee wants to strike a major blow against the North Entice the Border States to join the Confederate cause Encourage foreign intervention

The Pivotal Point: Antietam 17 September 1862 Lincoln puts McClellan back in charge Yankees intercept Lee s battle plans Draw 23,000 American casualties

Significance of Antietam Lee s invasion of the North repelled So close Chances of foreign intervention dwindle Springboard for Lincoln s Emancipation Proclamation (1 January 1863) War now a moral crusade to end slavery

A Proclamation Without Emancipation Lincoln s Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in Confederate states Huh??? Union had no jurisdiction in Confederate states Did not free slaves in the Border States Why? Emancipation Proclamation laid the groundwork for slave emancipation Moral cause of the war strengthened No compromise

A Proclamation Without Emancipation Public reaction is mixed Union troops Did we sign-up for this? Increased desertions Southerners accuse Lincoln of attempting to stir up rebellion Which side is morality on?

Blacks Battle Bondage After the Emancipation Proclamation and as manpower ran low, blacks were allowed to enlist in the Union army. Towards the end of the war, the Confederacy allowed blacks to enlist, but by then it was too late.

Lee s Last Lunge at Gettysburg After Antietam, Lincoln replaced McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac with General A. E. Burnside. But due to Burnside's massive defeat at Fredericksburg, Virginia on December 13, 1862, he was replaced by Hooker. During the battle at Chancellorsville, Virginia on May 2-4, 1863, Hooker was badly beaten, but not before Jackson was mortally wounded. Hooker was replaced by General George G. Meade.

Lee s Last Lunge at Gettysburg As Lee moved his Confederate force to the north again (this time to Pennsylvania), he was met by Meade's force at Gettysburg on July 1-3, 1863. The failure of General George Pickett's charge enabled the Union to win the battle. President Jefferson Davis was planning to deliver negotiators to the Washington D.C. with the Confederate victory at Gettysburg. Since the Union won the battle instead, Lincoln did not allow the negotiators to come.

The War in the West Ulysses S. Grant became a colonel in the Union volunteer army. His first victory was when he captured Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862. He then moved to capture the junction of the main Confederate north-south and east-west railroads in the Mississippi Valley at Corinth. His plan was foiled when he was defeated by a Confederate force at the Battle of Shiloh on April 6-7, 1862.

The War in the West General Grant was given command of the Union forces attacking Vicksburg. The city fell and surrendered on July 4, 1863. Due to back-to-back Union military victories at the Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of Vicksburg, all Confederate hopes for foreign help were lost.

Sherman Scorches Georgia The invasion of Georgia was left up to General William Tecumseh Sherman. He captured Atlanta in September of 1864 and burned it in November. He destroyed rail lines and burned buildings. He continued on through Georgia, with the main purposes of destroying supplies destined for the Confederate army and to weaken the morale of the men at the front by waging war on their homes. Sherman captured Savannah on December 22, 1864. He moved up through South Carolina, capturing and burning Columbia on February 17, 1865.

Sherman's March, 1864 1865 55

The Politics of War Critics in President Lincoln's own party were led by secretary of the Treasury, Salmon Chase. The Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War, formed in late 1861, was dominated by radical Republicans who resented the expansion of presidential power in wartime and who pressed Lincoln on emancipation.

The Politics of War After Stephen A. Douglas, the leader of the Democratic Party in the North, died, the party split between those who supported Lincoln (War Democrats) and those who didn't (Peace Democrats). Congressman Clement L. Vallandigham was a prominent member in a group called the Copperheads, which were radical Peace Democrats. Vallandigham was banished from the North to the South by Lincoln but he later returned after the war had ended.

The Election of 1864 Fearing defeat, the Republicans joined with the War Democrats to form the Union Party in the election of 1864. Lincoln's running-mate was Andrew Johnson, a local War Democrat. The Democrats, including the Copperheads, nominated General McClellan was their presidential candidate. The Northern Democrats lost the election of 1864. This was one of the most crushing losses suffered by the South. The removal of Lincoln was the last hope for a Confederate victory.

Grant Outlast Lee President Lincoln chose General Grant to lead the assault on the Confederate capital of Richmond. Grant had 100,000 men and engaged Lee in a series of battles in the Wilderness of Virginia (Wilderness Campaign).

Grant Outlasts Lee On June 3, 1864, Grant ordered the frontal assault on Cold Harbor. Thousands of Union soldiers were killed within a matter of minutes, but Grant's strategy of losing two men and killing one Confederate worked. He captured Richmond and cornered Lee. On April 9, 1865, Lee was forced to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia (a significant portion of the Confederate army) at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War.

The Martyrdom of Lincoln On April 14, 1865, President Lincoln was shot and killed at Ford's Theater by John Wilkes Booth. Andrew Johnson took over as President.