Civil War Flashcards
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Union Reasons for fighting
Reasons for fighting:
North / U.S. / Union:
Save the Union of the United States!
Some - but only a few - wanted to abolish slavery.
Confederacy reasons for fighting
South / C.S.A. / Confederacy:
Protect Southern Way of Life (specifically: slavery)
Protect states’ rights (The states’ right to what…?
Union Strengths and weaknesses
ADVANTAGE #1: North had a very large fighting population
ADVANTAGE #2: North had major economic power over the South
Result: Union states produced 90% of national manufactured goods
Began producing: guns, cannons, uniforms, bullets, boots & supplies
Result: Union controlled more than 70% of railways in the U.S.
ADVANTAGE #3: North possessed a strong and technologically advanced navy
Result: Confederacy could barely compete with Union ships at sea!
DISADVANTAGE #1: North had major military challenge to overcome
Problem: Union had to invade & conquer a massive amount of territory in the South to force Confederacy to rejoin the Union.
Problem: Essential supply lines from North (Weapons, ammunition, food rations, etc.) would be open to Confederate counterattacks.
Confederacy strengths and weaknesses
ADVANTAGE #1: South fighting on home turf.
Southerners knew the local countryside much better than Union soldiers from the North
Southern troops could use guerrilla warfare tactics against their enemy
ADVANTAGE #2: South has more to lose, and therefore inspiration - they were fighting for their homeland and “way of life.”
Quote: “Our men must prevail in combat or they will lose their property, country, freedom - in short, everything.” - Unnamed Confederate soldier, 1861
DISADVANTAGE #1: South had major economic weaknesses
Problem: Very few factories to mass produce supplies & weapons
Problem: Very few connected railroads to move supplies & troops
DISADVANTAGE #2: South had major government issues
Problem: Confederate constitution favored states’ rights & limited power of the central gov’t
Result: Very difficult to get all 11 states to agree on cohesive strategy
DISADVANTAGE #3: South had a smaller fighting population
Problem: 9 million Southerns vs. 22 million Northerners
Problem: 3 million slaves included in Southern population of 9 million
Abe Lincoln
Pres. of the United states
If they lose the war, it’s game over for Abe’s presidency. he will NOT be a liked president if the Union loses the war.
Jefferson Davis
Robert E. Lee
Union War strategy
Union: Invade, attack & force South to surrender.
Sea: Use navy to blockade all southern ports.
Goal #1: Cut off all supplies coming into South from Europe.
Goal #2: Cut off South’s ability to export cotton.
West: Seize Mississippi River
Goal: End South’s ability to use river to supply troops.
East: Capture Richmond, VA (capital of Confederacy)
Goal: Take control of Confederate government
Confederacy War strategy
Confederacy: Outlast North until they grew tired of war
Alliance: Strategy required money & supplies from Europe
Goal: cheap cotton exports would convince Europeans to lend support
The Anaconda Plan
Union: Invade, attack & force South to surrender.
Sea: Use navy to blockade all southern ports.
Goal #1: Cut off all supplies coming into South from Europe.
Goal #2: Cut off South’s ability to export cotton.
West: Seize Mississippi River
Goal: End South’s ability to use river to supply troops.
East: Capture Richmond, VA (capital of Confederacy)
Goal: Take control of Confederate government
Battle of Hampton roads
March 1862: Battle of Hampton Roads, VA
Confederate Goal: Break Union blockade along the Atlantic coast
Battleship: C.S.S. Virginia
First ironclad
Battleships covered in steel & iron plates
Slow but steam-powered & cannon balls bounced offsides
Obstacle: The union had their ship
Battleship: U.S.S. Monitor
Smaller than C.S.S. Virginia but faster
It had a gun turret that could turn 360 degrees
Result: DRAW
BUT: revolutionized naval warfare - inspired designs for monitors (ships with massive guns) & modern battleships
Battle of Antiedam
September 1862: Battle of Antietam, MD
Confederate Goal: Defeat Union on northern soil & break northern spirit (will to fight)
Commander: General Robert E. Lee
Obstacle: Confederate plans were discovered!
BUT: Union commander (George McClellan) refused to act decisively.
Result: Technically a Northern victory - but really a draw.
Still considered the bloodiest day in U.S. history!
23,000 Union & Confederate soldiers killed in ONE DAY!
Both sides realize that they cannot fight army-to-army in the open
Guns are just too accurate now
Tactics must change (new tactic: digging trenches)
Lincoln fires McClellan for waiting too long to attack Lee
Lincoln uses battle to justify freeing slaves in South!
What were the specific parameters of the law?(Emancipation Proclamation)
that all slaves in the rebel states would be freed
What did Lincoln want to accomplish with the Emancipation Proclamation
His goal was to boost morale and give the North a stronger reason to fight and also weaken the Southern economy
What impact did it have on the war? (Emancipation Proclamation)
It gave the north a reason to continue fighting.
