American Civil War Flashcards
1
Q
Major causes of the American Civil War
A
- Disagreement on if slavery should spread west.
- State’s Rights (belief that state gov. should have more power than the federal gov.)
- Slavery
2
Q
Results of the war: (4)
A
- Over 600,000 men lost their lives
- The south was destroyed
- Slavery was ended
- Saved the Union
3
Q
What is a Total War?
A
When a country devotes all of its resources toward the war effort
4
Q
Fort Sumter:
A
- Located in Charleston, SC
- Where war began
- By 1861 it was the only federal installation that Abe Lincoln refused to turn over to the South
- Fort Sumter was fired upon for 34 hours
- Gen. Robert Anderson surrendered to Gen PGT Beauregard
- Not a single casualty
- South win
5
Q
Fort Sumter caused the South to face what dilemma?
A
- If they allowed the North to keep the Fort it would make their government look weak
- If they took the fort by force they would be blamed for starting the war
6
Q
Results of the Attack on Fort Sumter: (2)
A
- War had begun
- Three more Southern States left the Union (Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee)
7
Q
“Copperheads”
A
Northerner Democrats who sympathized with the South
8
Q
Which 4 Border Slave States were the last to pick a side in the Civil War?
A
- Delaware
- Kentucky
- Missouri
- Maryland
9
Q
Why are these last 4 states so particularly important to the South?
A
Half of the South’s white population lived in these states.
10
Q
North Advantages:
A
- Large population of men
- Abundant industry (supplies)
- Abundant food supply
- Large Navy (blockade)
11
Q
North Disadvantages:
A
- Had to invade and conquer the South
- Poor military leadership (officers)
- Poorly trained soldiers
12
Q
South Advantages:
A
- United behind a cause (independence)
- Well trained men
- Superior military leadership
- Only had to defend their territory (familiar)
13
Q
South Disadvantages:
A
- Lack of men, supplies, and food
- State’s rights
- Small navy
14
Q
North’s main goal of the war:
A
- To save the Union
- Later it was to free the slaves
15
Q
South’s main goals:
A
- To win independence
- Later it became to preserve slavery
16
Q
North’s Strategies to win the war:
A
- Capture Richmond (capital)
- Capture the Mississippi River (main highway)
- Blockade all Southern ports (Anaconda plan - squeeze the life out of the South)
17
Q
South’s Strategies:
A
- Get foreign assistance (they hoped to get assistance from Britain)
- Wear the North down - get them to quit
18
Q
Describe most soldiers
A
Most soldiers were young farmers who signed to 90 day enlistments
19
Q
Why did most soldiers only sign 90 day enlistments?
A
Both sides thought that the war would be short and would win easily
20
Q
Southern Soldiers were called
A
rebels
21
Q
Northern Soldiers were called
A
Yankees
22
Q
Who did Lincoln first ask to be the commander of the North?
A
Robert E. Lee
23
Q
Why did Robert E. Lee deny Lincoln’s offer to be the overall commander of the North?
A
He turned it down because he couldn’t fight against his own people
24
Q
What did the North name the battles after?
A
Nearby rivers/streams
25
What did the South name the battles after?
Nearby Towns
26
First major battle of the war:
First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)
27
Main Southern General during First Battle of Bull Run
PGT Beauregard
28
Main Northern General during First Battle of Bull Run
Irwin McDowell
29
The South win the First Battle of Bull Run because of what southern general?
Gen. Thomas Jackson (Stonewall Jackson)
30
Results of the First Battle of Bull Run
- Realized the war was not going to be short or bloodless
- Need for standard colored uniforms (Blue and Grey)
31
Why was the war at sea fought?
Because of the Anaconda Plan
32
Anaconda Plan:
North set up a naval blockade to caught off southern supplies
33
Who did the south hire to get supplies through the northern blockade?
Blockade Runners
34
What was the first battle with iron ships called?
Battle of the Ironclads
35
What iron ships fought in the Battle of the Ironclads?
Monitor (north) vs. Merrimac (South
36
What southern ship sunk over 60 Union ships?
CSA Alabama
37
First sub in naval history to sink a ship in combat
HL Hunley - Confederate
38
War in the West was fought over what?
fought to control the rivers
39
Who was the northern commander during the Battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson?
Ulysses S. Grant
40
What was the result of the Battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson?
North now controlled the upper Miss. River
41
Who was the northern general during the Battle of Shiloh
Ulysses S. Grant
42
Who was the southern general during the Battle of Shiloh
Gen. Albert Sydney Johnston
43
Battle of Shiloh outcome
2 day battle, costly north victory, 20,000 casualties
44
Who captured the Port of New Orleans
Northern Admiral David Farragut
45
Battle of Vicksburg (What type of battle was it, how long did it last, and who won)
a major siege that lasted for 6 months.
Northern Gen. Grant wins eventually.
46
What was the War in the East fought to do?
Fought to capture the capital cities
47
How far apart was the capitol of the south and the capitol of the north?
only 90 miles apart
48
What was the major Union army in the East called?
Army of the Potomac
49
Who did Lincoln hire to be the overall commander of the Union army in the East?
Gen. George McClellan
50
How long did McClellan train his Union troops before Lincoln urged him to attack?
8 months
51
How did McClellan surprise the Confederates at the beginning of the Peninsula Campaign?
Instead of attacking by land, McClellan brought his troops by water to a peninsula near Yorktown
52
How many battles made up the Peninsula Campaign?
7 bloody battles
53
Who were the generals for each side in the Peninsula Campaign?
North: Gen George McClellan
South: Gen Robert E. Lee
54
What characteristics did McClellan have that eventually made him lose the Peninsula Campaign?
He was too slow and cautious
55
What characteristics did Robert E. Lee have that enabled him to win the Peninsula Campaign?
He was bold, creative, and took chances
56
Because McClellan lost the Peninsula Campaign, Lincoln replaced him with what general?
Gen. John Pope
57
What happened during the Second Battle of Bull Run? What did it lead to?
Robert E. Lee and the South destroyed John Pope and the North. This led to the reinstatement of Gen. George McClellan
58
Why did the South decide to attack the North at the battle of Antietam (Sharpesburg)?
They thought that a victory on north's soil would be enough to convince France and Britain to join them.
59
Why did the South's attack at the Battle of Antietam not work?
McClellan found Lee's battle plan.
60
The Battle of Antietam is known as
The single bloodiest day in American History
61
Why was Lincoln's decision to change the goal of the war to abolishing slavery so crucial?
It made it so that Britain and France would not join the South since they already abolished slavery.
62
What was the Emancipation Proclamation?
A document proclaiming the freedom of the slaves in the South
63
Where did the Emancipation Proclamation not include? Why?
Did not free the slaves in the Border States so that Lincoln would be able to keep their support.
64
What caused Lincoln to emancipate the slaves? (3)
- Slaves were helping the southern war effort (labor force)
- To help justify the growing casualties of the war
- To keep England and France out of the war
65
Effects of the Emancipation Proclamation: (4)
- Successfully kept England and France out of the war
- Encouraged slaves to run away (disrupted south labor force)
- Blacks now allowed to join up and fight as soldiers
- Eventually led to the passing of the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery
66
54th Mass. Regiment:
1st all black regimeny
67
Who was the commander of the 54th Mass. Regiment?
White man named Robert Gould Shaw
68
What two new weapons were created that had a heavy impact on the war?
- New Rifled Muskets
- Artillery with exploding shrapnel
69
What were the hospitals like during the Civil War?
Very primitive and unsanitary, infection was the biggest killer
70
What were the Prisoner of War camps like?
Filthy and unsanitary/little food/poor shelter
71
Who was the main photographer of the Civil War?
Matthew Brady
72
What were some of the prominent roles of women in the Civil War? (6)
- Nurses
- Copyists
- Factory Sewers
- Spies
- Writers
- Some dressed as men to be soldiers
73
What became necessary for the first time in history because of very few men volunteering?
Conscription - Draft
74
Why did giving men bounties to join the military not work?
because of “Bounty Jumpers”
75
Ways to avoid the draft: (3)
- Certain professions were exempt (teacher, preacher, mail worker)
- Hire a substitute (pay)
- Own more than 20 slaves
76
Because of the draft, what did the Civil War become known as?
"A rich man's war but a poor man's fight"
77
What happened at the Battle of Fredericksburg?
The North was Annihilated by Lee
78
What happened at the Battle of Chancellorsville?
Lee destroyed Hooker - Lee's greatest victory
79
Why was the Battle of Chancellorsville both Lee's greatest and most costly victory?
Stonewall Jackson, Lee's best commander, was shot by his own men and died later in the hospital.
80
How many days was the Battle of Gettysburg?
3
81
What happened on day 1 of the Battle of Gettysburg?
North was driven to a high ground called Cemetery Ridge. South win day 1.
82
Commander Lawrence Chamberlain
- "Hero of Gettysburg"
- Repulsed the rebel attacks 9 times and held the hill
83
What happened on day 2 of the Battle of Gettysburg?
A bloody day of hard fighting, south attacks the hill but is repulsed 9 times.
84
What happened on day 3 of the Battle of Gettysburg?
Lee tries to out flank the south in a last ditch effort.
85
How did Lee attempt to outflank the North on day 3 of the Battle of Gettysburg?
- Pickett's Charge
86
What was Pickett's Charge?
Gen. George Pickett and 13,000 Virginians begin to break the line but are stopped after northern reinforcements arrive
87
Who won the Battle of Gettysburg and how many casualties were there?
- Union victory
- 51,000 casualties
88
Who gave the major address for the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery?
Edward Everitt
89
What was Ulysses S Grant's goal when he was made overall commander of all Union forces?
To take Richmond
90
Who was made Ulysses S. Grant's second in command over all Union forces?
William Tecumsah Sherman - Goal was to take Atlanta
91
In June of 1864 what Three huge battles took place in Virginia?
Wilderness, Cold Harbor, and Spotsylvania
92
What was Grant's nickname in Northern Newspapers?
"The Butcher"
93
Who did the democrats nominate for the Presidential Election of 1864?
George McClellan
94
Who did the republicans nominate for the Presidential Election of 1864?
Abraham Lincoln
95
What 2 key Northern victories turned the presidential election of 1864?
- Atlanta fell to Sherman
- Port of Mobile Alabama fell (last southern port)
96
What happened during William T. Sherman’s “March to the Sea”?
After taking Atlanta, he marched his army to Savannah, Georgia destroying everything in his path for 200 miles long and 50 miles wide
97
What was William T. Sherman’s goal when he did the “March to the Sea”? Why was this controversial?
Goal - Trying to demoralize the south’s population - destroy south’s will to fight
- This is controversial because for the first time in history civilians are targeted
98
Where was Lee’s Army trapped?
at Appomattox Courthouse
99
Where did Lee and Grant meet to discuss peace terms?
House of Wilmer McClean
100
Why were the peace terms so generous for the south?
because Lincoln, Grant, and Lee wanted to heal the wounds of hatred between the two sides
101
Where was Lincoln shot?
Ford's Theater
102
Who assassinated Lincoln?
John Wilkes Booth
103
Who was the 1st woman executed in US history and why?
- Mary Surrat
- She was executed because she was a co conspirator in the assassination of Lincoln
