Essential Question

1. Essential Question • What were the opening events of the Civil War?

2. The Union Dissolves

3. Birth of the Republican Party • Organized July 1854 in Michigan • Same name as Jefferson’s original party

4. Quote, Lincoln “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this Government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved – I do not expect the house to fall – but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”

5. Election of 1860 • Democratic Party split • Northern Democrats chose Stephen Douglas • Southern Democrats chose John Breckinridge

6. Republican Party • Nominated Abraham Lincoln who was popular throughout the North • Not just an antislavery party

7. Election of 1860 • Lincoln won the election

8. Secession • Dec. 1860 – South Carolina voted to secede • By Feb. 1861 – MS, FL, AL, GA, LA, TX all vote to secede

9. The Confederacy • Meeting in Montgomery, AL • Southern states declared themselves a new nation, the Confederate States of America

10. The Confederacy • Wrote a constitution • Declared each state independent • Elected Jefferson Davis as president

11. Quote, Jefferson Davis “The time for compromise has now passed. The South is determined to . . . make all who oppose her smell Southern powder and feel Southern steel.”

12. President Lincoln • Took office March 4, 1861 • Committed to not interfering with slavery where it existed and insisted the Union of the States is perpetual

13. Quote, Lincoln “In your hands, my dissatisfied countrymen, and not in mine is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you. You can have no conflict, without yourselves being the aggressors . . . We are not enemies but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.”

14. Fort Sumter • April 1861 – Lincoln attempted to resupply the fort in Charleston • Jefferson Davis decided to take the fort

15. Fort Sumter • April 12, 1861 • Fort Sumter surrendered after 33 hours of cannon fire

16. Upper South Secedes • Lincoln called for 75,000 army volunteers • By June 1861 – VA, AR, NC, and TN seceded

17. Capital of the Confederacy • Moved to Richmond, VA

19. The Opposing Sides

20. Military Officers • Forced to choose between the North and the South • Robert E. Lee was offered command of the Union troops • He resigned and joined the Confederacy

21. Quote, Robert E. Lee • “I cannot raise my hand against my birthplace, my home, and my children.”

22. Southern Military Strengths • Strong military tradition • Effective leaders and soldiers • Out of eight U.S. military colleges, seven were in the South

23. Northern Military Strengths • Strong navy • Northern warships and shipyards

24. Population • North – 22 million people • South – 9 million people (one-third were slaves) • How is a larger population an advantage?

25. Industry • North – 80 percent of the nation’s industry • South – one iron factory (Tredegar Iron Works)

26. Railroads • North – miles of railroad track • South – only one east/west line (Memphis to Chattanooga)

27. Agriculture • North – adequate food • South – large amounts of food production (rice, corn)

28. Finances - North • Controlled the national treasury, banks with lots of cash

29. Finances - South • Small banks • Plantation owners in debt • Used taxes to raise money • Printed paper money to pay bills = high inflation

30. Government - North • Lincoln made unpopular decisions • Suspended habeas corpus – person’s right not to be imprisoned unless charged with a crime

31. Weak Southern Government • Constitution emphasized state rights • Limited central government power

32. Plan of War - South • Pick battles carefully, avoid heavy losses • Defensive war of attrition – force North to use all resources

33. Plan of War - North • Proposed by Winfield Scott • Blockade southern ports to cut off supplies • Control the Mississippi

34. Anaconda Plan