Topic 3 - Civil War And Reconstruction Flashcards
What was the Civil War?
- It was fought between 1861-1865.
- Over 750,000 people died during the Civil War.
- It was fought between the Northern and Southern states of the USA.
- The North states were known as the Union.
- The Southern states were known as the Confederacy.
What were the main causes of the Civil War?
- People in the South saw the cities and industry of the North as too modern and ungodly.
- By 1850 the Northern population was rapidly growing giving them more political power.
- 1850 compromise gave slaveholders in South more power so California became a non-slave state.
- Between 1850-54 there were many arguments on whether slavery should expand.
- Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 said states could decided to be free or not.
- In 1857 the Supreme Court forbade the banning of slavery and said enslaved people had no rights so now slaveholders had power once again.
- Abolitionists were gaining public support.
- The Republican Party set up in 1854 was an anti-slavery party and slaveholders were afraid.
- In 1860 Abraham Lincoln (republican) was elected as president.
- Abolitionist John Brown tried starting a slavery uprising and was hung.
Steps from Lincoln’s election to outbreak of War.
1 - He was elected in 1860 with Northern support.
2 - November 1860, South Carolina voted to secede from (leave) the USA.
3 - By February 1861: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas seceded and formed the Confederacy.
4 - Jefferson Davis became president of the Confederacy.
5 - Lincoln said Confederacy was illegal on 4th March 1861.
6 - 12 April, Davis ordered gunboats to open fire on Fort Sumter (Union fort in South Carolina.
7 - 15 April, Lincoln declared War and said he would defend the Union.
8 - April-June 1861 Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee joined the Confederacy.
What were the Black Americans job rights like in the North and South?
North - They were allowed jobs however they didn’t often get equal pay and they couldn’t be in charge of white workers. A few black Americans became lawyers, doctors etc.
South - Most black Americans were enslaved so they couldn’t get a job or earn money. A few free black Americans could get work but it was rare.
What were the Black Americans housing rights like in the North and South?
North - Most black Americans lived in poorer areas with high rents, A handful had better living conditions.
South - Plantation housing was small and cramped. Diseases spread easily and medical care was non-existent.
What were the Black Americans education rights like in the North and South?
North - Most schools were segregated but black students had access to basic education. There were few universities for black students and they struggled to get jobs afterwards.
South - In most southern states it was illegal for black Americans to learn to read or write.
What were the positive changes for black Americans in 1861-62?
- South Carolina was freed and formerly enslaved people began setting up regiments.
- Land in the Sea Islands was given to formerly enslaved people from the South.
- Missionaries came to teach the formerly enslaved people how to read and write (Sea Islands experiment).
What were the limits of the changes for black Americans in 1861-62?
- The Union refused to commit to ending slavery throughout the whole USA.
- Some enslaved people who had escaped were used to do very hard labour (digging ditches) for the Union army.
- There was a lot of opposition to having black regiments.
What were the positive changes for black Americans in 1863-65?
- 1st January 1863, Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in Confederate states.
- Volunteered continued to teach them how to read and write - over 200,000 by 1865.
- Formerly enslaved people took on jobs like field hands, mechanics and barbers.
- Enslaved people in the South were given 40 acres of land by General Sherman (Union).
- Hundreds of thousands of formerly enslaved people joined the Union army.
- Many black women supported the army by working as cooks or nurses.
What were the limits of the changes for black Americans in 1863-65?
- Some slaves continues to work on cotton plantations even after being freed.
- Black soldiers were often given the worst jobs: late-night guard duties, cleaning and ditch digging.
- The Emancipation Proclamation wouldn’t be a full Constitutional Amendment until the war was over.
How did black Americans in the North suffer and what were the sign of improvements?
- In 1861, many black Northerners tried to join the Union army but weren’t allowed.
- Lincoln claimed that slavery didn’t have anything to do with the Civil War and considered a solution to send them back to Africa.
- Race riots broke out in many Northern cities where white Americans were being forced to join the army. They blamed black Americans for this.
- After 1863, black soldiers were allowed to join the army however they weren’t allowed to be officers and didn’t get equal pay.
- Many black workers didn’t volunteer to join the army because they found it easier to find work while the white soldiers were away fighting. This led to a race riot in New York, 1863.
- In 1864, black soldiers fought for equal pay and won however they couldn’t serve as officers.
What steps did Lincoln take to rebuild the USA?
- He persuaded congress to help make the Emancipation Proclamation the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in January 1865.
- He began to persuade the Union states to support the 13th Amendment.
- He set up the Freedman’s Bureau (a charity to help formerly enslaved people) which gave out land confiscated from slave holders.
- He began to raise questions about black Americans becoming citizens.
- He wanted to stop the South blocking black Americans from becoming citizens.
When was Lincoln killed?
- Lincoln was shot dead in April 1865 and was replaced by Andrew Johnson (the Republican Vice President).
What were President Johnson’s actions?
- He pardoned thousands of Confederate soldiers and slave holders and returned many of their lands.
- He put a stop to the Freedman’s Bureaus work.
- He allowed all Confederate states to rejoin the USA even if they were against the 13th Amendment.
- He did little to stop the Ku Klux Klan being set up in 1865.
- He allowed Southern states to re-establish their state governments and bring in black codes (laws which removed rights from black Americans).
What is Radical Reconstruction?
Many Republican politicians were extremely angry at Johnson so in February 1866, they began forcing through their own changes. Between 1866-70 radical Republicans took control of Reconstruction and made enormous changes in the South.
