1. The War Begins Chapter 16, Section 1 Pages 510 - 515
The Civil War
The War Begins
Chapter 16, Section 1
Pages

2. Building Background
The divisions within the United States reached a breaking point with the election of Abraham Lincoln in Several southern states angrily left the Union to form a new confederation. In border states such as Virginia and Kentucky, people were divided. The question now was whether the United States could survive as a disunified country.

3. Americans Choose Sides
Furious at Lincoln’s election and fearing a federal invasion, seven southern states had seceded. In his inaugural address, Lincoln promised not to end slavery where it existed. Lincoln also stated that his intention was to preserve the Union. He felt that saving the Union would save democracy.

4. Americans Choose Sides
Lincoln refused to recognize the Southern states secession, declaring that the Union was “unbroken.” However, the truth of the matter was that the Union was badly broken. Confederate officials began to seize branches of the federal mint, arsenals, and military outposts.

5. Fort Sumter
In 1861, Fort Sumter, a federal outpost in Charleston, South Carolina, was attacked by Confederate forces. The Confederates were determined to seize the fortress, which controlled the entrance to Charleston harbor. Instead of surrendering the fort, President Lincoln decided to send in ships to provide badly needed supplies to defend the fort. Confederate officials demanded that the federal forces evacuate, the fort’s commander refused.

7. Fort Sumter
Before sunrise on April 12, 1861, the Confederate forces started their attack on Fort Sumter. The fort, although massive, stood little chance. Its heavy guns faced the Atlantic Ocean and not the shore. After 34 hours of cannon blasts, Fort Sumter surrendered.

8. Reaction to Lincoln’s Call
The fall of Fort Sumter stunned the North. President Lincoln declared the South to be in a state of rebellion and asked state governors for 75,000 militia to put down the rebellion. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the state north of them rallied to the president’s call. North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Arkansas seceded and joined the Confederacy.

9. Reaction to Lincoln’s Call
Wedged between the North and South were the key border states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri. These states were slave states, but did not join the Confederacy.

11. Northern Resources The North had numerous advantages over the South.
Twenty-two million people to draw from for soldiers and workers. Whereas, the South only had 5.5 million people.
Better system of roads, canals, and railroads (22,000 miles of track). The South had only about 9,000 miles of track.
The North had a more productive economic and better production of coal, iron, wheat, and textiles.

12. Southern Resources The South had some advantages in its favor.
A strong military tradition – outstanding leaders and generals.
Farms – supplied food for its forces.
The North had to invade the South in order to take control. Southerners fought on their home soil.

13. Cotton Diplomacy
The idea that Great Britain would support the Confederacy because it needed the South’s raw cotton to supply its textile industry.
However, the hope of Cotton Diplomacy did not meet expectations because Great Britain had a large supplies of cotton and got more from India and Egypt.

14. Preparing for War
At the beginning of the war, the North had only 16,000 soldiers. Within months that number had swelled to a half million. Southern men rose up to defend their land and way of life. Civilians on both sides helped those in uniform. They raised money, provided aid, and ran emergency hospitals.

15. Training the Soldiers
Both the Union (North) and the Confederate (South) armies faced shortages of clothing, food, and even weapons.
Most soldiers lack standard uniforms and simply wore their own clothes.
Eventually both side chose a color for their uniforms – the Union chose blue and the Confederates wore gray.