The Civil War: Important People

1. The Civil War:Important People

2. William Lloyd Garrison • Publisher of the abolitionist newspaper known as The Liberator • Used the newspaper to tell everyone that slavery was wrong and should be abolished immediately • Along with others, he formed the American Anti-slavery Society.

3. William Lloyd Garrison • The American Anti-slavery Society published books and papers advocating the emancipation of all slaves • His newspaper was banned in the South. • He was often harassed because many Northerners also opposed his views

4. Sojourner Truth • 1st African American woman to gain recognition as an anti-slavery speaker • Was born a slave in New York but was freed through gradual emancipation • Had a powerful speaking style and drew large crowds when she lectured about slavery and women’s rights

5. Sojourner Truth • President Lincoln appointed her as a counselor to the freedmen in Washington during the Civil War

6. Frederick Douglass • Taught himself to read and write while he was a slave • Escaped slavery and became an eloquent spokesman for the abolition movement • Published an antislavery newspaper called The North Star

7. Frederick Douglass • Wrote his autobiography telling of the conditions of slavery • Encouraged President Lincoln to emancipate slaves and worked to recruit Northern African Americans for the Union Army • After the war, he continued to fight for the rights of African Americans and women

8. Harriet Tubman • An escaped slave who became one of the most successful “conductors” of the Underground Railroad • Known as “Moses” of her people because she led more than 300 slaves out of the South, including South Carolina, to freedom

9. Harriet Beecher Stowe • Author of the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin • Book became a best seller and revealed the cruelty of slavery to many Northerners • Wrote the book in response to the Fugitive Slave Act that was passed as part of the 1850 Compromise

10. Harriet Beecher Stowe • During the Civil War, she often disagreed with President Lincoln because of his concern with preserving unity of the nation and his need to postpone freeing the slaves.

11. John Brown • An abolitionist who migrated to Kansas after the Kansas-Nebraska Act declared that territory would decide by popular sovereignty whether it would be slave or free • In Kansas, Brown and his sons participated in the violence that gave the territory the name “Bleeding Kansas”.

12. John Brown • Most Infamous Action: Led a raid on the U.S. arsenal at Harper’s Ferry in Virginia in hopes of capturing guns and leading a slave revolt-- was unsuccessful • He and his followers were captured by federal troops under the leadership of General Robert E. Lee

13. John Brown • He was tried, found guilty of treason, and hanged. • John Brown was hailed a martyr by many Northern abolitionists but he raised great fear among Southerners and further divided the North and South.

14. Abraham Lincoln • 16th president of the U.S. (elected in 1860) • Was against the expansion of slavery to the territories but was not an abolitionist • Was determined to preserve the Union • As president, was also commander-in-chief of the Union Army

15. Abraham Lincoln • Being commander-in-chief of Union army, it was his job to name commanders in the field • He changed generals frequently until he found Ulysses S. Grant • Issued the Emancipation Proclamation • Was assassinated shortly after the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse

16. Ulysses S. Grant • General in Union Army • Under his leadership, the Union Army employed a new strategy of total war. • He accepted the surrender of the Confederate troops under Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Courthouse.

17. Jefferson Davis • President of the Confederate States of America and also commander-in-chief of the Confederate Army • Did not have to look for a good general because Robert E. Lee assumed the leadership of the Army of Northern Virginia • Had little power because the Confederate states believed in states’ rights

18. Robert E. Lee • Leader of the Army of Northern Virginia in the Confederate Army • Led his army to victory in many battles at the beginning of the Civil War using tried and true strategies • At Gettysburg, Lee ordered a frontal assault on Union lines and many of his soldiers were killed as a result of the accuracy of new rifles

19. Robert E. Lee • As the war progressed, the Union Army killed so many Confederate soldiers that his army was almost destroyed, particularly at Gettysburg. • Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Courthouse.