PERIOD 5: The Civil War (1861-1865) Flashcards
(39 cards)
The Civil War was the costliest American war, in terms of…
the loss of human life, resulting in the deaths of 750,000.
The war freed……giving the nation a…..
4 million enslaved African Americans, new birth of freedom.
The war transformed American society by ….. in the North. and…… the South.
accelaraing industrialization and modernization, destroying much of.
March 1861- In his inaugural address, what did Lincoln tell Southerners about slavery & the outbreak of war?
He said that he wouldn’t interfere with slavery where it existed, also saying that no one or state had the right to break up the union.
April 1861- What was unusual about Fort Sumter?
The federal fort blocking an important maritime port could not be tolerated by South Carolina. Fort Sumter was under the control of the state.
What action did Lincoln take that “provoked” the South into attacking the fort?
Attempting to resupply the fort.
What 4 states are the border states? Why did Lincoln desperately want to keep them in the Union?
Delaware, MAryland, Kentucky, and Missouri were border states, Lincoln wanted to keep them in the union to preserve it and defend it with the military and so their population of the union wouldn’t be weak with the Confederacy.
1861-1862- What were the three key objectives of the Union strategy?
Anaconda plan: using the U.S. navy to blockade Southern ports, cutting off essential supplies from reaching the confederacy
Take control of the MIssissippi river, diving the Confederacy in two.
Raise and train the army of 500,000 to conquer Richmond.
At the start of the war, in battles at Bull Run and the Peninsula Campaign, who won?
Bull Run Confederate victory. The Union was crushed, and the army was driven back to Bull Run.
Peninsula Campaign, Confederate forces of General Lee, who forced the withdrawal of the Federal Army.
What happened at the Battle of Antietam? Why was this an important battle in the Civil War?
Mcclellan knew Lee’s strategy bc of a copy that had been dropped. It was the bloodiest battle with 20,000 men wounded or killed. It was important because the Confederacy did not win or get what they wanted; Britain and France’s recognition and aid. It provided President Abraham Lincoln the opportunity he had wanted to announce the Emancipation Proclamation
the battles between the U.S.S. Monitor and C.S.S. Merrimac. Why was this important for the outcome of the Civil War?
For hours before reaching a stalemate, the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia fought each other, and neither ship carried the kind of armor needed. But the Monitor prevented a Confederate attack on the Union’s blockade, preventing damage to the u.s naval blockade. It was an important outcome of the war bc it made a turning point in naval warfare, replacing iron ships with wooden ships.
How did Britain try to influence the outcome of the Civil War?
They didn’t give recognition to the Confederacy and only let them purchase warships from britain.
Why did “cotton diplomacy” fail?
Europe found other ways to get cotton through Egypt and India and other materials could be used for textiles.
July 1863- How was the Battle of Vicksburg an important turning point in the Civil War?
It was what divided the confederacy in two, causing Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas from the rest. Federal warships had full control of the Mississippi.
How was the Battle of Gettysburg an important turning point in the Civil War?
It ended in union victory. Gettysburg ended Confederate general Lee’s ambitious plan to invade the North. The loss ended the hopes of the Confederate States of America to become an independent nation.
1863 -1865- General Sherman’s actions when “subduing the South.” What impact did his “march to the sea” have on the South?
He marched along the south destroying everything they might have used to survive like cotton fields, barns and houses. The impact it had was that it had an effect on the confederacy’s spirit and destroyed their will to fight. Also bringing hunger in the winter of 1864-1865.
April 3, 1865- What happened at Appomattox?
Lee was forced to surrender to Grant after trying to retreat from Richmond.
General Robert E. Lee
fought for the Confederate side during the Civil War. He was the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and is considered one of the most skilled military leaders of the war.
General George McClellan
fought for the Union side during the Civil War. He was known for his organizational skills and ability to train troops.
General William Tecumseh Sherman
also fought for the Union side during the Civil War. He is famous for his “March to the Sea,” where he led a destructive campaign through Georgia, aiming to break the Confederate’s will to fight.
General Ulysses S. Grant
fought for the Union side during the Civil War. He eventually became the top Union general and played a crucial role in the Union’s victory. After the war, he went on to become the 18th President of the United States.
“Modern war”
War which differs from the past concepts of warfare, methods and technology in that it emphasizes how combatants need to modernize if they want to retain their fighting ability.
“Total war”
A military conflict in which candidates are willing to sacrifice their lives and other resources in order to achieve a total victory.
“War of attrition”
A military strategy consisting of aggressive efforts to win a war by wearing down the enemy to the point of collapse.
