Chapter 14-The Civil War Flashcards
“fire-eaters”
Most Southerners were more moderate and felt that slavery should continue below the Missouri Compromise Line.
A radical group called “fire-eaters” were champions of the new concept of Southern Nationalism and soon began to demand an end to the Union
Confederate States of America
South Carolina seceded first. By the time Lincoln took office, 6 more seceded. (MATGFL- Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana)
February 1861 they all met at Montgomery, Alabama and announced the formation of the Confederate States of America.
Crittenden Compromise
Submitted by John J Crittenden of Kentucky. Called for several constitutional amendments which would guarantee the permanent existence of slavery in the slave states and would satisfy southern demands on such issues as fugitive slave s and slavery in D.C. The heart of the plan was to re-establish the Missouri Compromise line. It was a last attempt at saving the union but Republicans refused
USA & CSA advantages
USA- All important material advantages
- population was twice as big as the south, more if not counting slaves as part of the population so US had a much greater manpower reserve for armies and the workforce.
- Had advanced industry, was able to manufacture own weapons
- Better transportation system
CSA-fought on own land so advantage of familiarity
- had a more clear and firm commitment to the war
- Skilled military leaders where the North lacked these until closer to the end of the war
Homestead Act
1862-permitted any citizen or prospective citizen to claim 160 acres of public land and purchase it for a small fee after living on it for 5 years. Example of the Republican party enacting an aggressively national program to promote economic development, especially in the west. This showed Northern ideology as it wouldn’t have been able to have been passed if the South were there.
Rules
- No rebels could apply
- Must be over 21
- Farm it for 5 years and it’s yours!
Morrill Land Grant Act
1862-transferred substantial public acreage to the state governors which were to sell the land and use the proceeds to finance public education. Led to the creation of many new state colleges and Universities. The so called land grant institutions.
Showed Northern ideology since South was not part of the voting Union when this was passed.
transcontinental railroad
Congress moved to complete their railroad dream. Created 2 new federally chartered corporations:
1. The Union Pacific Railroad company to build westward from Omaha
2. The Central Pacific Railroad Company to build eastward from California.
Settled prewar conflict over the location of the line.
The two projects were to meet in the middle and complete the link. Gov. provided free public lands and generous loans to the company.
National Bank Acts
1863-1864-created a new national banking system. Existing or newly formed banks could join the system if they had enough capital and were willing to invest 1/3 of it in government securities. In return, they could issue U.S. treasury notes as currency. The new system eliminated much of the chaos and uncertainty in the nation’s currency and created a uniform system of national bank notes.
Passed under Northern rule so reflected their values.
greenbacks
controversial act of printing new paper currency (greenbacks) Currency was backed not by gold or silver, but by the good faith and credit of the Union government. Value of the greenbacks fluctuated according to the fortune of the Northern army.
Only issued $450 million worth but produced inflation nonetheless.
New York Draft Riots
When some enthusiasm for the war lowered, the gov. imposed a small draft. For 4 days in July 1863, there were violent early uprisings in NY. More than 100 people died. I
Irish workers were at the center of the violence. They were angry because black strikebreakers had been used against them in a strike; and they blamed African Americans for the war. The rioters lynched African Americans, their homes and businesses, and destroyed an orphanage for black children. Federal troops subdued them.
Copperheads
Known as “Peace Democrats” (“copperheads” by their opponents) Democrats who were opposed to the war. They threatened Lincoln’s case for reelection and undermined the war effort since they were living in the North but held Southern opinions with regard to the war.
“irrepressible conflict”
An argument that dominated historical discussion of the war. Because the North and South had reached positions that were firm and permanent, conflict was inevitable.
“blundering generation”
Some revisionist scholars thought that war could have been avoided if American leaders had acted more professionally.
Lincoln & Constitution
-
Ex parte Milligan
After the war in 1866, supreme court ruled that military trials in areas where the civil courts existed were unconstitutional.
1864 election
occurred in the midst of political dissension. The Republicans had had some losses in congressional elections so they tried to create a broad collection of groups that supported the war–called it the Union party. Basically just republicans and some war democrats. Union party nominates Lincoln, Democrats nominated George B. McClellan. Democratic platform was calling for a truce. But morale was boosted after several northern victories, namely the capture of Atlanta, so Lincoln won the electoral vote easily.
Emancipation Proclamation
1862-Lincoln announces intent to free all slaves in confederacy. He signs the emancipation proclamation on Jan 1 1863. Freed all slaves in all areas of the confederacy but was essentially ineffective because Lincoln had no authority to enforce the law.
But it was still important because it established that the war was being fought not just to preserve the union, but to end slavery. antislavery impulse gained strength and as federal army occupied the south, many slaves were freed and included in the Union Army.
African Americans in the war
about 186,000 emancipated African Americans served as soldiers, sailors, laborers for the union forces, joined by a significant number of free blacks in the North.
in the first months of war, African Americans were largely excluded from the war. There were some exceptions, but generally few were present. After the Emancipation Proclamation, that changed. Union military actively recruited blacks as well.
Some men were organized into infantry units, but most were assigned menial tasks (digging trenches, transporting water)
Black mortality rates were higher due to disease from working long hours in unclean conditions. They were also paid less until 1864. They still felt very proud to serve though.
Northern women in the war
Women took on new vacant jobs. Most important was nursing.
U.S. Sanitary commission=organization of volunteers led by Dorothea Dix mobilized many female nurses to serve in hospitals. They faced some resistance from Drs who did not like the idea of women in the medical profession, although women argued it was within the sphere of domesticity, so in some ways it even enforced gender roles.
Those doctors were irrelevant because the women were invaluable to the military.
CSA financing
efforts to tax/borrow didn’t go well; instead they just printed a ton of money. Prices rose 9,000% due to inflation
Confederate Conscription Act
April 1862- Because voluntary enlistments were declining, subjected all white males 18-35 to 3 years military service. Repealed in 1863 due to major outrage. But it was effective for a time.
States rights & the Civil War
States Rights had become such a cult among the South that it harmed them (resisted efforts to exert authority [Davis] when it was necessary–i.e. the draft/taxes) but the South still took steps toward centralization because it needed to–it was just that that need did not line up with their ideals.
economic & social impacts of war (South)
Devastating effects on Southern economy. No trade with North meant they had very little food, many important people lice doctors where conscripted so healthcare=bad. And the fighting itself was horrible to the agriculture.
Like in the North women got new roles like being in charge of slaves/plantations, being schoolteachers or nurses. War created huge gender imbalance (more women than available husbands so they were more able to be other things than wives out of necessities.)
Slaves were more resistant than usual.
U.S. Grant & R. E. Lee
Ulysses S. Grant-Shared Lincoln’s belief in making enemy armies and resources, not enemy territory, the target of military effort. Lincoln gave him a lot of power to make decisions
Robert E. Lee-Davis named him general, but Davis was also a military strategist who liked to come up with the plans-didn’t share power very well.
