Chapter 15 The Civil War

Abraham Lincoln Lincoln was born in a log cabin to a poor family in Kentucky Moved to Illinois Went to school for less than a year! Taught himself law and settled in Springfield, Illinois He was not an abolitionist, but he strongly opposed expanding slavery to the west Believed that African-Americans deserved what was stated in the Declaration of Independence, that all men were entitled to “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

“Upon the subject of education, I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.”

*After Lincoln was elected President in 1860-7 states (South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas) seceded from the union *Lincoln promised not to end slavery where it already existed, trying to calm fears *Lincoln refused to recognize secession *Confederate officials began seizing branches of federal mints, arsenals, and military posts. *Highly charged atmosphere-south ready for war

North=Union South=Confederate “Yankees, Yanks, Billy Yank”-Blue “Rebels, Rebs, Johnny Rebs, Graybacks”-Gray

War Breaks Out *Fort Sumter was a federal outpost in Charleston, South Carolina *On April 12, 1861 Confederate guns open-fired on the fort *Lincoln sent troops in to defend it *After 34 hours of cannon blasts, Sumter surrendered

*The fall of Sumter stunned the north *Lincoln declared the South to be in a state of rebellion and asked state governors for 75,000 militiamen Stephen Douglas said, “There can be no neutrals in this war, only patriots-or traitors.” *North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Arkansas seceded South becomes Confederate States of America President: Jefferson Davis Capital: Richmond, Virginia *Border states-Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, and Missouri did not secede, but people in those states were deeply divided.

*North vs. South North South *Agricultural area with small cities *Industrial with large cities *population: 22 million *22,000 miles of train tracks which could move supplies *Well constructed roads and canals could also move supplies *Union had Federal money South *Agricultural area with small cities *population: 5.5 million *9,000 miles of train track *Roads weren’t as well constructed *Had to start printing Confederate money, which led to chaos

*War Strategies North South 2 Part Strategy: 1. Destroy South’s economy by blocking ports 2. Gain control of the Mississippi River to split the South South *They had a strong military Strategy: *Wear the North out! *Capture Washington D.C. *Jefferson Davis hoped to get Great Britain’s help because of the cotton trade (Cotton Diplomacy), but didn’t work

Volunteer Armies At the beginning of war, the Union Army had 16,000 soldiers-within months the number had increased to half a million Civilians helped by providing aid to troops and running hospitals 3,000 women served as nurses School teachers, farmers, laborers, etc. all joined the militia but didn’t know how to fight, so they had to learn