(Lecture 20) A War for Union/ A War for Freedom Flashcards
who were the leaders of the two sides?
Grant and Lee
why was it the first total war?
armies could only be sustained through citizen efforts.
few Americans not touched by the war.
what are the myths of the war?
supposed honour and nobility.
Romanticisation (people die in cowardly ways).
Both sides celebrated (south as just, noble loser and north as dull, but fair winner).
did Lincoln’s election really start the war?
no
few states seceded after election, most did so after shooting began, Lincoln had no desire to interfere with the instituion where it existed
why was it a war for union?
north went to war to restore union not abolish slavery originally
how many volunteers did Lincoln call for (3 year enlistment)?
42,000
why were some enthusiastic about the cause?
escape from boring, industrial life
what price could you buy out of draft for?
$300
why were there more volunteers in south?
idea of masculinity
what were the total numbers in the forces?
north- 22 million
south- 5.5 million white people
how many white males between 18 and 45 were there?
north- 4.6 million
south- 1.1 million
what was the 20 ‘n word’ rule?
if you had 20 slaves, 1 white man was freed from draft
what was the summary of the war?
‘rich man’s war, poor man’s fight’
why was their increased violence against AAs?
poorer people venting anger (lynchings, property damage)
why couldn’t black people be drafted?
Dred Scott Decision
NY riots?
120 people killed, union army sent in
why did the number of 500,000 southerners in the Confederate Army half?
belief they were losing the battle
what percentage of union army was volunteer?
92%
what proportion died in the war, north and south?
1 in 3 south
1 in 6 north
who was Robert E. Lee?
commandant of west point, in charge of training generals
wife had inherited slaves
said slavery was evil but still racist
1862 battles?
Antietam (22,000 killed) and Charleston
why did Lincoln think initial motivator of war wouldn’t work much longer?
growing length of war and carnage at Antietam
why did southern dedication begin to fade?
cost of war (not just money)
did the southern military strategy change?
yes, couldn’t defend forever
how many southern soldiers died between 1861 and 1865?
175,000
how many southern soldiers died in first 8 battles?
97,000
How does the south establish solidarity as they are independent?
big question as that is their argument for war
why did slavery begin to collapse?
breakdown of plantation system
how many slaves fled to the union armies once they got close?
1 out of 7
why did north adopt an abolition view?
excess slaves in army now, military leaders accepted it more so than political ones.
why was Lincoln concerned with abolition?
border states
1861 Confiscation Act?
any slaves that worked for the army were forfeit
what had Congress done by 1862?
passed laws barring return of runaways, freed D.C. slaves and banned slavery in the new territories
what were the AA activists argument for abolition?
undermine southern economy
remind Europe who to support
provide moral purpose beyond ‘Union’
what was 2nd Confiscation Act?
anyone who supported rebellion would have their slaves freed
Emancipation Proclamation?
1863
All slaves within rebel lines freed unless seceded states joined back to the union by January 1st 1863. (no states went back)
turned it from war for union to war for freedom
who was opposed to slavery?
British public
Where was the southern surrender and when?
1865
Appomattox
Didn’t end the violence
Lincoln shot 5 days later
what happened at the conclusion of the Civil War?
Problems that preoccupied Revolutionary War resolved.
Northern victory settled the question over whether singular nation would survive
