People and Strategies of the Civil War

Abraham Lincoln  President of the United States (Union) during the Civil War.  He was willing to go to war to keep America together.

Abraham Lincoln  He issued the Emancipation Proclamation.  He was assassinated 5 days after Lee surrendered.

Ulysses S. Grant  Union (north) General during the Civil War.  He was victorious in many battles in the West.  He won the battle of Vicksburg on the Mississippi River.

Ulysses S. Grant  He was given command of all the Union troops in March of 1864 by President Lincoln.  He defeated Lee in Virginia and he accepted Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House.

Jefferson Davis  President of the Confederate States of America.  He was a former senator from Mississippi.  His task was to form a new government and fight a war at the same time.

Robert E. Lee  Confederate (south) General during the Civil War.  He was a very well respected General in both the North and the South.

Robert E. Lee  He was the commander of all the Confederate troops.  He won several early victories and forced the Union out of Virginia.

 Military Strategy Military Strategy Military Strategy

Confederate Strategy  As the war started the Confederacy took a defensive position.  They did not want to conquer the North. They simply wanted the North to leave them alone.

Confederate Strategy  The South hoped that the North would soon grow tired of the war and recognize their independence.  The South also planed to use Cotton as a means to get assistance.

Confederate Strategy  They hoped European nations would give them assistance because cotton was such an important trade good.  Europe stayed out of the war.

Confederate Strategy  As the war grew on, the South changed their strategy and started to attack in the north to try to weaken the northern morale.

Union Strategy  The North wanted to force the Confederacy back into the union.  They developed a strategy called the Anaconda Plan.  It called for a naval blockade of the Southern coastline.

Union Strategy  This would prevent the south from transporting goods into or out of its ports.  The plan also called for the Union to seize control of the Mississippi River.  This would split the Confederacy into two parts.

Union Strategy  Total War –  Union strategy to attack not just enemy troops but anything and everything that could help the war effort.

Union Strategy  Troops destroyed rail lines  Destroyed crops and livestock  Burned and looted towns and homes.

Strength and Weaknesses  The union had a huge advantage in manpower and resources.

Strength and Weaknesses  North  22 million people  85% of factories  South  9 million (3.5 million were slaves)  15% of factories

Strength and Weaknesses  Other advantages of the North: 1. more than double the railroad lines. railroad lines. 2. majority of the naval power and shipyards. and shipyards.

Strength and Weaknesses  Advantages of the South: 1. better generals in the beginning of the war. of the war. 2. fighting a defensive war 3. supply lines were not as long.