The American Civil War

1. The American Civil War

2. North vs. South • Many large cities & growing economy • By 1860 – 25% of population was urban • Between 1800 and 1870 agricultural labour dropped from 70% to 40% • Slavery had died out and was replaced by immigrant factory workers. • Advanced railroads for transportation • Fertile soil and warm climate = agriculture • 80% of the labour force worked on the farm • By 1860 slavery was “essential” -almost as many black people in the South as there were white people • New Orleans was only large city • Only 10% urban • Transportation difficult except by water

3. The Birth of Slavery in America When the North American continent was first colonized by Europeans the land was vast, the work was harsh, and there was a severe shortage of labor. White bondservants worked plantations but more labour was needed Early in the seventeenth century, a Dutch ship loaded with African slaves introduced slavery to the United States Slaves were most economical on large farms where labour-intensive cash crops, such as tobacco, could be grown.

4. Slavery Continued By the end of the American Revolution, slavery had proven unprofitable in the North and was dying out. In the South … In 1793 Northerner Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin; Cotton replaced tobacco

5. Opposition to Slavery As the North moved away from Slavery more and more people in the North opposed the idea of slaves – abolitionists Nat Turner Harriet Tubman Uncle Tom’s Cabin is written in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe Dred Scott

6. The Raid on Harper’s Ferry On October 16, 1859, the radical abolitionist John Brown led a small group of followers in a raid on the armoury at Harper’s Ferry. On October 18, U.S. Marines were sent via train to Harpers Ferry under the command of Colonel Robert E. Lee The failed raid was a major catalyst in accelerating the slide to Civil War.

7. The Compromise of 1850 After the Mexican-American War, the issue of slavery in the new territories led to the Compromise of 1850. While the Compromise of 1850 averted an immediate political crisis, it did not permanently resolve the issue of the power of slaveholders in national politics. Many Northerners, especially leaders of the new Republican Party, considered slavery a great national evil.

8. The Compromise of 1850

9. Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854 Organized 2 new federal territories – Kansas and Nebraska What was controversial was the provision that stipulated that each territory would separately decide whether to allow slavery within its borders. This provision repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery in any new states to be created north of latitude 36°30' since Kansas and Nebraska would be north of that line and could now choose to allow slavery.

10. The Election of 1860 As the election of 1860 approached, the Democrats split over the issue of slavery in the territories The party split on the issue and no firm candidate was chosen for the Presidency This division opened the door for the Republican Party and Abraham Lincoln to gain influence The Republicans believed that slavery should be left undisturbed where it was already in place but should not be allowed in the new territories

11. Secession from the Union The immediate result of the election was the secession of seven southern states to form their own country (the Confederate States of America) These States included: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas They based their right to secede on the idea that the free states had denied the Southern States equal rights in the union They drafted their own constitution and named their new alliance the Confederate States of America

12. Fort Sumter and the Start of the War As the Southern States Seceded they seized the United States arsenal, mints and fortresses within their borders Fort Sumter was still under federal control In April of 1861, the fort was running short on supplies so Lincoln sent orders out to restock it Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy sent the order to take the fort before it could be resupplied While there was no life lost in the attack, news of the incident stirred nationalism in the North and Lincoln had no trouble filling his military’s ranks with able bodied men

13. More States Secede… Faced with the prospect of fighting their neighbours four more states seceded from the union These states included: Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee

14. Map of Secession

15. Preparing for War The North had a material advantage in many aspects regarding a potential war

16. The North Larger Population Larger railroad connections More farm industry Industrialization ($) – more than 80% of manufacturing plants The Leadership of Abraham Lincoln Forts in the South Have to attack the South in the South Military leaders are less experienced Cannot expect help from Europe Advantages Disadvantages

17. The South Defending instead of attacking – just had to hold out against attacks Better military leaders – Robert E. Lee Ports that can be used for support from Europe Smaller Population Fewer railroad connections Industrialization ($) – more than 80% of manufacturing plants Advantages Disadvantages

18. Battle of Bull Run • One of the first battles of the war was the Battle of Bull Run. • The North realized after this battle that the war would not be easy and would not be over soon.

19. New Weapons • Many new weapons were used during the Civil War. • One of these weapons was an ironclad ship - a ship with iron plates on it to protect it from cannon fire.

20. Other new weapons • Deadlier cannons and bullets • More accurate rifles

21. Battle of Antietam • First time the Confederacy invaded Northern territory was the Battle of Antietam. • It was bloodiest battle day in United States history. 23,000 men lost their lives that day. • The Union army stopped the Confederate army. This “victory” by the Union gave President Lincoln the chance to announce the abolition of slavery in the South.

24. Emancipation Proclamation • It also allowed blacks to serve in the Union army and navy. • South ignored the Emancipation Proclamation, but it did change to focus of the war to the issue of slavery. • Declared that all slaves should be set free in the Confederacy.

25. Battle of Gettysburg • The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest battles of the war. • 90,000 Union soldiers fought 75,000 Confederate soldiers. • More than 50,000 men were killed or wounded in the battle. • The Union won the battle.

26. The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the war. The Confederacy would never invade Union territory again.

27. Gettysburg Address • After the Battle of Gettysburg, President Lincoln went to the battlefield to dedicate a cemetery in honor of all those who had died. • Lincoln spoke for two minutes, but his speech became very famous. • It is called the Gettysburg Address.