Ch. 6 Civil War

Question 1

Union Strengths

Answer 1

Population, four slave states stayed, stronger pool of military experience, navy, more livestock, more industrialization, more railroads.

Question 2

Confederate Strengths

Answer 2

Size of the South, only had to defend, slaves could work homefront, S was motivated and confident in military ability, had cotton to finance war costs.

Question 3

Define mobilization.

Answer 3

The business of preparing a country for war, for example, by calling up troops and supplying them with weapons and training.

Question 4

Militia draft

Answer 4

Conscription of men in state militias

Question 5

Conscription

Answer 5

Compulsory enlistment in the military

Question 6

Ordnance chief

Answer 6

Person who led department responsible for deployment and distribution of weapons/munitions. (James Ripley in Union.)

Question 7

Minie ball

Answer 7

An inch-long lead ball that expanded into the groove of the rifle-musket’s barrel, allowing the gun to be shot quickly.

Question 8

Muzzle-loading

Answer 8

Loaded down the barrel. Rifle-muskets were muzzle-loading.

Question 9

Ironclad warships

Answer 9

A ship made of iron or protected by iron plates. South thought these were vital to breaking Union blockade, but Union could make many more iron-clad than CSA.

Question 10

USS Monitor

Answer 10

The ironclad Union ship that fought the Virginia in the first ironclad encounter in history. Neither ship could sink the other, but the Virginia was too damaged to go on.

Question 11

CSS Virginia

Answer 11

Southern ironclad warship that sank two blockading ships but was later in a battle with the Monitor.

Question 12

Total war

Answer 12

A war in which both sides try to employ all manpower and resources to defeat enemy, affecting lives of virtually all citizens.

Question 13

In what ways was the Civil War a total war?

Answer 13

Greatest mobilization of human resources, and Union had goal of destroying CSA economic resources.

Question 14

In what ways was Civil War not a total war?

Answer 14

Not as much cruelty, policies were designed to damage, not kill.

Question 15

Jefferson Davis

Answer 15

President of the CSA. Some saw him as a poor communicator, too conservative, indecisive; others saw him as experienced and exceptional.

Question 16

Martial law

Answer 16

Suspension of ordinary administration and policing, replacing it with the exercise of military authority. Both Lincoln and Davis used it.

Question 17

Impressment of supplies

Answer 17

Confiscation of goods. Davis forced farmers to give 10% produce to war effort.

Question 18

Impressing

Answer 18

Forcing into government service. Ex: Slaves were forced to work in government service.

Question 19

Draft

Question 20

Johnny Reb

Answer 20

Confederate Soldiers’ nickname

Question 21

Billy Yank

Answer 21

Union Soldiers’ nickname

Question 22

Draft evaders

Answer 22

Those who avoided conscription.

Question 23

Inflationary pressure

Answer 23

Increase in amount of circulating money, resulting in a decline of its value. South faced inflation because the war was hard to finance.

Question 24

Desertion

Answer 24

1/7 CSA, 1/10 Union troops deserted for boredom, fear, etc. Little consistency with punishing deserters meant that desertion was usually successful.

Question 25

Merchant marine

Answer 25

Ships involved in trade, not war. Union used its merchant marine to draw men and vessels.

Question 26

Guerilla war

Answer 26

Type of warfare when small bands of men, not regular troops, harass enemy forces and then return to homes/hideouts until called out again.

Question 27

Habeus corpus

Answer 27

Writ of habeas corpus is the right of a person to know why they are arrested. Lincoln suspended this right to save Maryland for the Union.

Question 28

Judah Benjamin

Answer 28

Member of Davis’ cabinet; appointed to dept. of Justice, War, State. Was one of Davis’ most influential/heard advisors.

Question 29

Confederate Congress

Answer 29

Congressmen selected by state legislatures. Had senate and hosue. No 2-party system; men tried to appear unified but squabbles occurred.

Question 30

What was one of the biggest issues facing the Confederate Congress?

Answer 30

Wanted to preserve states’ rights but also needed to pass laws.

Question 31

Saltpetre

Answer 31

Potassium nitrate, a vital ingredient in gunpowder

Question 32

Blockade runners

Answer 32

Ships (usually built in Britain) that tried to evade Union blockade, trying to trade with the Confederacy. Relatively high success rate. Davis limited runners mainly to essential supplies in, cotton out.

Question 33

Morale

Answer 33

Enthusiasm for the war. Southern morale was high at start of war.

Question 34

Abraham Lincoln

Answer 34

President of US through Civil War. Fought to preserve the Union through any means possible. Suspended civil liberties when necessary but believed in Constitution.

Question 35

Cabinet

Answer 35

Lincoln did not bother much with his cabinet; let them work individually. Seward was his right-hand-man. Had a mix of people in his cabinet.

Question 36

Homestead Act

Answer 36

An act passed by Republicans offering free 160 acre farms out West to settlers who worked them for 5 years.

Question 37

Strike breakers

Answer 37

Workers employed to do the work of those on strike. Northerners did not like black strike breakers, leading to riots.

Question 38

War democrats

Answer 38

Democrats who were determined to see the war fought to a successful conclusion. Supported Lincoln.

Question 39

Copperheads

Answer 39

A Republican nickname for Democrats. Repub. thought that Dems were conspiring to make peace with the South and thought Dems were treasonous.

Question 40

New York draft riots

Answer 40

When names of draftees were read, a mob attacked the recruiting station and rampaged, lynching blacks whom they blamed for the war. Lasted for several days until Lincoln sent troops.

Question 41

Robert E. Lee

Answer 41

Virginian leader of the main Confederate Army. Favored offense over defense.

Question 42

U.S. Grant

Answer 42

General in Chief of Union Army. Used his strategy to win the war, captured Fort Donelson and Vicksburg. Became Union Commander. Regarded as the war’s greatest soldier.

Question 43

William T. Sherman

Answer 43

Union general who captured Atlanta and marched through Georgia and Carolinas, weakening CSA.