Civil War Flashcards
Executive power under AL
AL called for volunteer troops, authorized war spending, and suspended habeas corpus without getting congressional approval
Sig? Some say he took more power than any preceding president
AL’s inaugural address
Says he won’t interfere with southern Slavery, will return fugitive slaves, and doesn’t intend to invade the states
Butttt… Also says he’ll use force if necessary and condemns secession as unconstitutional
Dig? N views it as a message of peace and unity! S views it as a precursor to war!
Anaconda plan
Blockade southern coast (especially Nola) so they can’t export cotton
Sig? Like the only part of the union plan that works really well
Antietam
Lee tried to invade MD, McClellan got a copy of his plans and forced them to retreat to VA
Sig? Bloodiest day of combat (22,000 killed or wounded) and BC the south failed to win a decisive victory they don’t get foreign aid
Trent affair
CS diplomats are sailing to GB, get captured and taken as POWs by a union ship
Causes public outrage in GB and forces AL to return the diplomats
Sig? Shows how close GB was to siding with CS, but they didn’t want to risk war with US
Confiscation acts
Gave Union power to seize enemy’s slaves-> anyone who joins Union side earns their freedom
Sig? Allowed AL to grow an even bigger army with the use of free slaves
Emancipation proclamation
Freed slaves in South and negotiated freedom in borders
Only immediately freed 1% of slaves
Sig? Causes 200,000 slaves to join Union army, enlarged purpose of the war
Gettysburg
Lee tries to invade MD and PA, surprises Union troops, eventually after 50,000 casualties they are forced to retreat to VA
Sig? Major turning point! S never regains offensive, loses tons of people that they can’t resupply like the north can!
Election of 1864
Lincoln vs McClellan, who campaigned for peace
AL wins 212/233 electoral votes, but only 55% of the pop vote
Sig? The north is really tired of war!! Union is divided
Draft protests
Bc you could pay to get out of the draft, a bunch of poor laborers revolted bc they thought free blacks were going to take their jobs while they were fighting
Sig? Shows racism and opposition to war even within the north
