terms

Question 1

civil war

Answer 1

• Definition: A war fought from 1861 to 1865 between the Northern states (Union) and the Southern states (Confederacy) primarily over issues of slavery, secession, and states’ rights.
  
  • Significance: The Civil War led to the Union victory, settling the issues of slavery and secession, but left questions about the federal government’s power and citizenship rights unresolved.

Question 2

border states

Answer 2

• Definition: Slave states that remained in the Union during the Civil War, including Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri.
  
  • Significance: They were crucial to the Union’s war effort and their loyalty was vital in maintaining the Union.

Question 3

seccessionitis

Answer 3

• Definition: The rapid spread of states seceding from the Union in the wake of Abraham Lincoln’s election.
  
  • Significance: Highlighted the deep divisions between the North and South and precipitated the Civil War.

Question 4

secession

Answer 4

• Definition: The withdrawal of eleven Southern states from the Union between 1860 and 1861, leading to the formation of the Confederate States of America.
  
  • Significance: Triggered the Civil War and tested the authority of the federal government.

Question 5

hinton helper

Answer 5

• Definition: A Southern critic of slavery whose book, “The Impending Crisis of the South,” argued that slavery was economically detrimental to the South.
  
  • Significance: Contributed to the growing tensions between the North and South over the issue of slavery.

Question 6

union

Answer 6

• Definition: The Northern states that remained loyal to the United States government during the Civil War.
  
  • Significance: Fought to preserve the Union and ultimately emerged victorious, settling the issues of slavery and secession.

Question 7

confederacy

Answer 7

• Definition: The Southern states that seceded from the Union and formed their own government during the Civil War.
  
  • Significance: Fought to defend states’ rights and preserve the institution of slavery.

Question 8

emancipation proclamation

Answer 8

• Definition: An executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declaring all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free.
  
  • Significance: Transformed the Civil War into a struggle for freedom, enhancing the moral purpose of the Union cause.

Question 9

habeus corpus

Answer 9

• Definition: Legal protection against unlawful imprisonment.
  
  • Significance: Suspended by Lincoln during the Civil War to suppress dissent and maintain order.

Question 10

king cotton / cotton diplomacy

Answer 10

• Definition: The belief that Southern cotton was so vital to the British and French economies that those countries would support the Confederacy during the Civil War.
  
  • Significance: Shaped Confederate strategy and foreign policy during the war.

Question 11

gettysburg adress

Answer 11

• Definition: A speech given by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, emphasizing the principles of equality and the preservation of the Union.
• Significance: Symbolized the Union’s commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy.

Question 12

william tecumseh sherman

Answer 12

• Definition: A Union general known for his “March to the Sea” campaign, which aimed to demoralize the Southern population and undermine the Confederate war effort.
  
  • Significance: Implemented total war tactics that devastated the South and hastened the end of the war.

Question 13

robert E lee

Answer 13

• Definition: A Confederate general who commanded the Army of Northern Virginia during most of the Civil War.
  
  • Significance: One of the most prominent and skilled Confederate leaders, his surrender effectively ended the war.

Question 14

jefferso davis

Answer 14

• Definition: The President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.
  
  • Significance: Led the Confederate government in its fight for independence and states’ rights.

Question 15

george McClellean

Answer 15

• Definition: A Union general known for his cautious approach and frequent clashes with President Lincoln.
  
  • Significance: Commanded the Union Army early in the war and later ran as the Democratic nominee against Lincoln in the 1864 presidential election.

Question 16

copperheads

Answer 16

• Definition: Northern Democrats who opposed the Civil War and advocated for peace with the Confederacy.
• Significance: Represented internal dissent within the Union and posed challenges to Lincoln’s war efforts.

Question 17

conscription

Answer 17

• Definition: The mandatory enlistment of people into military service.
  
  • Significance: Implemented by both the Union and Confederate governments to maintain their armies during the Civil War.

Question 18

total war

Answer 18

• Definition: Warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets.
• Significance: Employed by both sides during the Civil War, leading to widespread destruction and civilian suffering.

Question 19

13th amendment

Answer 19

• Definition: An amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1865, that abolished slavery in the United States.
  
  • Significance: Formalized the end of slavery and fulfilled one of the key goals of the Union during the Civil War.

Question 20

shiloh

Answer 20

• Cause: Confederate forces launched a surprise attack on Union troops encamped near Shiloh Church in Tennessee.
  
  • Definition: Major battle fought in April 1862, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides.
  • Effect/Significance: Bloodiest battle up to that point in the war, demonstrating the scale and brutality of the conflict. Significance in relation to Key Concepts: Illustrates the human cost and ferocity of the Civil War