Civil War Divides the Nation!

Key Issues For the SOUTH  Southerners believed that they had the right to leave the Union. (They called the conflict the War for Southern Independence!!)  Southerners wanted to keep their traditional way of life—including slavery. For the SOUTH  Southerners believed that they had the right to leave the Union. (They called the conflict the War for Southern Independence!!)  Southerners wanted to keep their traditional way of life—including slavery. For the NORTH  Northerners believed that they had to fight to save the Union.  Some northerners wanted to abolish slavery. Others approved of slavery.

Key Issues: The Border States Slave states that joined the Confederacy: Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas Slave states that remained with the Union: Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, Delaware Slave states in the Union = BORDER states!! Confederacy, Here we come!!

Northern Strengths  Larger population = More soldiers!  More factories = More supplies!  The North had a strong navy and a large fleet of merchant ships.  Larger population = More soldiers!  More factories = More supplies!  The North had a strong navy and a large fleet of merchant ships. We’ll fight for you, Northerners! Yay for lots of people!!

Southern Strengths  Defending their homeland and way of life gave white southerners a strong reason to fight.  Knew the southern countryside.  Southern civilians helped the Confederate forces.  Defending their homeland and way of life gave white southerners a strong reason to fight.  Knew the southern countryside.  Southern civilians helped the Confederate forces. I. Am. Motivated.

Northern Weaknesses  Northern soldiers had to conquer a huge area. Instead of defending their homes, they were invading unfamiliar land. Union supply lines had to stretch out much farther than Confederate ones.  Northern soldiers had to conquer a huge area. Instead of defending their homes, they were invading unfamiliar land. Union supply lines had to stretch out much farther than Confederate ones. YIKEsYIKEs

Southern Weaknesses  Few Factories  Few railroads (to move troops and supplies)  Few ships  Smaller population = Not enough people to support the war effort.  Few Factories  Few railroads (to move troops and supplies)  Few ships  Smaller population = Not enough people to support the war effort.  The Confederate constitution favored states ’ rights and limited the central government. Sometimes, this made it difficult to get things done. “Disunited and it feels so Good!”

Leaders: Jefferson Davis  Confederate President  Attended the United States Military Academy at West Point  Officer in the Mexican War  Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce  Respected for his honesty and courage

Leaders: Abraham Lincoln  Union President  Did not have much experience in national politics  Did not have military experience  Turned out to be a strong leader and good war planner  Had a sense of humor  Could accept criticism  Union President  Did not have much experience in national politics  Did not have military experience  Turned out to be a strong leader and good war planner  Had a sense of humor  Could accept criticism

Leaders: Robert E. Lee  Confederate Commander  Lincoln had asked him to command the Union Army but he said no because he was loyal to his state of Virginia!!  Confederate Commander  Lincoln had asked him to command the Union Army but he said no because he was loyal to his state of Virginia!!

Leaders: Ulysses S. Grant  Eventual Commander of the Union Army  Described as "the greatest general of his age and one of the greatest strategists of any age."  Eventual Commander of the Union Army  Described as "the greatest general of his age and one of the greatest strategists of any age."

Goals of the War Union Goals  War could not center around the dispute over slavery—border states pushed to secede  Fight for patriotic reasons—to save the Union Union Goals  War could not center around the dispute over slavery—border states pushed to secede  Fight for patriotic reasons—to save the Union Confederate Goals  South wanted to be left alone with slavery unchanged  Prepared to defend themselves against invasion  Felt northerners would soon tire of war and withdraw

Union Strategies  The Anaconda Plan: General Winfield Scott's plan to defeat the Confederacy  Blockade the southern and eastern coasts  Seize control of the Mississippi River (to break the Confederacy in two)  Strike from all sides at once!

Confederate Strategies  Fight a defensive war until northerners tired of fighting and gave up.  Use European money and supplies to help fight the war. Southerners Expected Europeans to recognize the Confederacy as an independent nation.  Fight a defensive war until northerners tired of fighting and gave up.  Use European money and supplies to help fight the war. Southerners Expected Europeans to recognize the Confederacy as an independent nation. Who else will they buy cotton from but us?