Fort Sumter

1. Fort Sumter

2. Lincoln’s Inauguration • Confederate States of America was formed one month before Lincoln’s inauguration • “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.” • Argued that secession was illegal • Says he will defend all federal properties in South

4. Fort Sumter/Fort Pickens • Confederate soldiers took over Federal post offices, courts, military forts • Fort Sumter in SC and Fort Pickens in FL were still in Union hands • Confederacy demanded the union surrender the forts

5. Fort Sumter • Commander: Major Anderson • Fort was still under construction, half the cannons had not been delivered yet • Vulnerable position • 6 weeks worth of supplies left

6. Fort Pickens • Needs to be resupplied • Fully armed • Defensible position

7. Lincoln’s Dilemma • Does not want to be seen as firing the first shots • VA, MD, DL, AK, KY, TN, NC, MO had not seceded • The public would be united if the south fired first • Does not want to give fort to confederacy: would be admitting they are sovereign • Wants to defend all federal properties • Does not want to be seen giving in to the south • General Winfield Scott recommends abandoning both forts for political reasons • To keep the border states in the Union.

8. Attack on Fort Sumter • Lincoln orders supplies be sent to Fort Sumter • “Food for hungry men” • Confederate troops open fire • Anderson surrenders

9. Attack on Fort Sumter • Impact of Fort Sumter • TN, VA, NC, AK secede • MD, KY, DL, MO do not secede • Would have doubled manufacturing capacity of south • At times Lincoln declared martial law in these states • North is united against rebellions: scores of men volunteer • War aim is to keep union together, not about slavery

10. Advantages/Disadvantages

11. Northern Advantages • Larger Population • Large Manufacturing base • Controls most of the banking and capital of the country • Railroads • Loyal U.S. Navy

12. Confederate Advantages • Profits from cotton exports • Could fight a defensive war • First-rate generals • Soldiers who were highly motivated to defend their homeland

13. Confederate Government • Non-succesive six year terms for the President • Jefferson Davis P • Alexander Stephens VP • Denied congress power to levy tariff, spend money on internal improvements • Davis tried to increase executive powers but governors resisted

14. Strategies

15. Anaconda Plan • Three Part Plan • The Union navy would blockade southern ports • So the south could not import manufactured goods or sell cotton • Union riverboats and armies would move down Mississippi River and split the Confederacy in two • Union armies would capture the Confederate capital at Richmond, VI

16. Confederates Plan • Survive

17. Foreign Affairs

18. European Powers • Wanted to see U.S. split in two • Create a balance of power in North America • Protect their colonies • Potentially take new colonies-Napoleon III takes Mexico

19. Trent Affair • Two Confederate diplomats were on the British steamer the Trent • Mission to gain recognition from British • Union warship arrested the diplomats • Britain threatened war if they were not released • Lincoln released them • They failed to gain British recognition of the Confederacy

20. British Sales • British sold warships to confederacy • Alabama captured 60 vessels before being sunk • Confederacy arranged to buy Laird rams (ships with iron rams) from the British • U.S. minister to Britain Charles Francis Adams convinced the British to cancel the sale

21. Failure of Cotton Diplomacy • Britain did not intervene in the war • Had large stockpiles of cotton, also got cotton from Egypt and India • Emancipation Proclamation made the war about slavery, British public would not support war for slavery

22. Economic Impact

23. Economic Impact • North borrowed 2.6 billion • Instituted first income tax • Printed paper currency called Greenbacks not backed by gold causing inflation • Created National Bank • Growth in manufacturing industry

24. Legislation • Morill Tariff Act (1861) • Raised tariff rates • Homestead Act (1862) • 160 acres of land to person or family • Morill Land Grant Act (1862) • Sale of federal lands would be used for agricultural and technical colleges • The Pacific Railway Act (1862) • Transcontinental railroad through northern route

25. Women and the Civil War • Absence of men opened up jobs for women • Operated farms or worked in factories • Opened up the field of nursing to women • Sparked women’s rights movement

26. Lincoln and Habeas Corpus

27. Lincoln and Habeas Corpus • Principle of Habeas Corpus- a person cannot be held without being charged with a crime • Written into the constitution

28. Lincoln and Habeas Corpus • On September 24th 1862 Lincoln suspended habeas corpus • Can arrest anyone, for any reason, indefinitely • Constitution states only congress can suspend habeas corpus in times of rebellion

29. Lincoln’s Actions • 13,000 suspected confederate sympathizers were arrested and held without trial • Included newspaper men and copperheads (Northern Democrats who wanted to make peace with the south) • Most were released after a short period of time

30. Lincoln’s Actions • Some were put before a military tribunal • Military Tribunal- trial but without the protections of the constitution

31. Ex Parte Milligan (1866) • Lambdin Milligan was accused of planning to steal Union weapons • Found guilty by military tribunal and sentenced to death • Appealed to Supreme Court • Ruled government cannot use military tribunals if civilian courts are still operational