Fundamental Causes of the War

1. Fundamental Causes of the War • Sectionalism and states’ rights • Slavery • Economic issues

2. The Dividing Union • Missouri Compromise (1820) • Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Law • Kansas–Nebraska Act (1854) • Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

3. Secession • South Carolina was first to secede • Several other states followed soon after • Virginia seceded after the Battle of Fort Sumter Seceding states appear in green

4. The Creation of the Confederacy • Delegates met in Montgomery, Alabama • Formed the Confederate States of America • Jefferson Davis elected president, with Alexander Stephens as vice president CSA President Jefferson Davis

5. Buchanan’s Inaction • Believed secession was illegal, but that acting to prevent it was also illegal • Decided to let the incoming administration handle the problem President James Buchanan

6. Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address • March 4, 1861 • Promised not to interfere with slavery where it already existed • Attempted to reconcile with the South A crowd listens to Lincoln’s speech at the Capitol building

7. Lincoln and Fort Sumter • Confederates demanded that the fort be surrendered • Lincoln received urgent message from Ft. Sumter’s commander • Lincoln faced with dilemma of resupplying Sumter • Decided to send only “food for hungry men” Fort Sumter

8. The War Begins • Bombardment began on April 12, 1861 • Anderson surrendered to Gen. Beauregard, a close friend and colleague Painting depicting the bombardment of Fort Sumter

9. The “Anaconda Plan” The Union’s strategy: • Naval blockade from Louisiana to Virginia • Control of the Mississippi River Confederate strategy primarily defensive Cartoon about the “Anaconda Plan”

10. Advantages & Disadvantages: The Union Advantages: • Industry and railroads • Larger population • Legitimate government • Strong political leadership Disadvantages: • Funding difficulties • Offensive war • Lack of skilled military leaders A Massachusetts factory

11. Advantages & Disadvantages: The Confederacy Advantages: • Defensive war on home turf • Common cause • Strong military tradition and outstanding leaders Disadvantages: • Weak economy • Smaller population • Ineffective central government and leadership Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson

12. War Aims: North and South • The North: to preserve the Union • The South: safeguarding states’ rights, as well as protecting the South from “Northern aggression” Abraham Lincoln Horace Greeley

13. Recruiting Soldiers • Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers for three months’ enlistment • Response was overwhelming • Union also encouraged enlistment with bounties New Yorkers line up to enlist

14. Ethnic Recruitment • Both sides appealed to ethnic pride in order to recruit • Many nationalities joined both sides • Irish Americans among the most common An enlistment poster aimed at Irish Americans

15. Bull Run • First major battle of Civil War • About 25 miles from Washington, D.C. • “Stonewall” Jackson became famous • Confederate victory Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson

16. The Trent Affair • Union forces seized two Confederate diplomats from aboard a British ship, the Trent • British contended the seizure was an act of war • Union eventually released the diplomats • Confidence built between the U.S. and British governments • Britain refused to support Confederacy The San Jacinto accosting the Trent

17. Shiloh • Union forces led by Ulysses S. Grant • Confederate attack nearly wiped out Union forces on first day • Grant counterattacked the next day • Union victory A view of Shiloh after the battle

18. Ironclads • Confederates built the Merrimack from a sunken Union ship • Union quickly built the Monitor • Monitor and Merrimack fought to a draw in first battle between ironclads A painting of the battle

19. New Technologies in Warfare • Minie ball • Submarine • Heavy artillery • Aerial reconnaissance • Gatling gun • Trench warfare A Gatling gun

20. A New Union Commander • McClellan selected as commander after Bull Run • McClellan popular with troops • A thorough administrator • Overly cautious Gen. George B. McClellan

21. Lee Takes Command • General Joseph E. Johnston wounded • Robert E. Lee takes command of Confederate army • Lee proves an able commander Gen. Robert E. Lee

22. Antietam • Attempt by Lee to invade the North • Near Sharpsburg, Maryland • McClellan tipped off to Lee’s plans when a soldier found secret orders wrapped around cigars • Single bloodiest day in American history Artillery Hell, a painting of early morning hostilities at Antietam

23. Antietam: Aftermath • Lincoln met with McClellan after the battle • Lincoln fired him, complaining that he “had the slows” • McClellan replaced by series of commanders Lincoln meets with McClellan at Antietam

24. Alabama Claims • Confederates purchased commerce raiders from Britain • Alabama highly successful in disrupting Union shipping • U.S. government demands compensation from Britain • In 1872, an arbitration commission ordered Britain to pay $15.5 million Painting of the CSS Alabama fighting the USS Kearsage

25. Prelude to Emancipation • At first, Lincoln did not believe he had the authority to end slavery • However, every slave working on a plantation allowed a white Southerner to fight • Lincoln saw emancipation as a strategic issue as well as a moral one Slaves on a South Carolina plantation, 1862

26. Advantages to Emancipation • Cause “union” in the North by linking the war to abolishing slavery • Cause disorder in the South as slaves were freed • Kept Britain out of the war Lincoln discussing emancipation with his cabinet

27. The Emancipation Proclamation • Lincoln announced proclamation after Antietam • Took effect on January 1, 1863 • Freed slaves only in “territories in rebellion” A cartoon celebrating emancipation

28. Dealing With Dissent • Copperheads • Led by Rep. Clement Vallandigham of Ohio • Lincoln suspends habeas corpus Rep. Clement Vallandigham

29. African American Enlistment • Congress allowed black enlistment in 1862 • 54th Massachusetts commanded by Colonel Shaw • Half of 54th killed in assault on Ft. Wagner • Helped spur further enlistment Col. Robert Gould Shaw Memorial to the 54th Massachusetts

30. Manpower for the War • Mostly volunteers • Conscription needed to sustain troop levels • In the North, draftees could hire substitutes or pay $300 to opt out An illustrated sheet music cover protesting the inequities of the draft

31. New York Draft Riots • July 1863 • Rioters mainly poor whites and Irish immigrants • Attacked the rich and blacks over 100 killed • Felt that if they went to war blacks would take their jobs • Opposed to freeing slaves Rioters loot a New York store

32. The Sanitary Commission • Poor health conditions in army camps • U.S. Sanitary Commission created • Purposes included improving hygiene and recruiting nurses • Developed better methods of transporting wounded to hospitals A Civil War field hospital

33. Civil War Medicine • Infection often deadlier than the wounds • Amputations more common • Anesthesia widely used A surgeon at the Camp Letterman field hospital at Gettysburg prepares for an amputation

34. Andersonville • Confederate POW camp in Georgia • 32,000 prisoners jammed into 26 acres • One-third of all prisoners died • Superintendent was executed as a war criminal Severely emaciated POWs rescued from Andersonville

35. Chancellorsville • Jackson’s forces surprised Union troops • Confederates won unlikely victory • Jackson hit by “friendly fire” and died a week later • Lee pressed on to Pennsylvania A painting of the battle

36. Gettysburg: Prelude • Lee crossed into Pennsylvania • Sent troops for supplies • Confederates encounter Union force outside Gettysburg Gettysburg battlefield: view from Culp’s Hill

37. Gettysburg: Day One • Small Union force led by Buford delayed a larger Confederate force • Buford held high ground at Seminary Ridge • Buford’s stand allowed time for reinforcements to arrive

38. Gettysburg: Day Two • Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain • Defense of Little Round Top • 20th Maine repelled Confederates and saved Union position Colonel (later Major General) Joshua L. Chamberlain

39. Gettysburg: Day Three • Lee believed Union lines were still vulnerable • Ordered Pickett’s forces to attack center of Union lines • “Pickett’s Charge” resulted in over 6500 Confederate casualties Artist’s rendition of the battlefield during Pickett’s charge

40. Impact of Gettysburg • Confederates lost 28,000men (one-third of army) • Union lost 23,000 men(one-quarter of army) • Town overwhelmed by dead and wounded soldiers • Lee unable to rebuild army • Turning point of the war A Confederate soldier lies dead at “Devil’s Den”

41. Siege of Vicksburg • Key to total Union control of the Mississippi River • Several attempts by Grant to take the city failed • Grant barraged the city for two months • Vicksburg fell on July 4, 1863 Union troops surround Vicksburg during the siege

42. The Gettysburg Address • Lincoln invited to attend cemetery dedication • Everett the principal speaker • At the time, Lincoln’s two-minute speech was considered great by some, a failure by others The only known picture of Lincoln (lower center) at the Gettysburg Cemetery dedication

43. The “Wilderness Campaign” • Grant came to support “total war” • Sought to crush Lee’s army in Virginia • Fought in dense forest near Fredericksburg • Grant criticized for taking high losses • In one battle he lost 7,000 men in one hour Grant at Cold Harbor during the Wilderness Campaign

44. Sherman’s “March to the Sea” • Sherman sought to break the South’s ability to make war • Captured Atlanta in September 1864 • Led the March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah • Took Savannah by Christmas 1864 Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman

45. Election of 1864 • Lincoln sought reelection • Democrats nominated McClellan • Union victories helped Republican campaign • Lincoln won by large margin A political cartoon shows Lincoln and Davis tearing a U.S. map while McClellan tries to intercede

46. The 13th Amendment • Proposed and co-authored by Senator Henderson of Missouri • Approved by Congress in January 1865 • Ratified by 27 states by December 1865 • Abolished “involuntary servitude” Illustration depicting the Senate debate over the 13th Amendment

47. Surrender at Appomattox • Lee realized his position was hopeless • Asked to meet with Grant • Met in Appomattox on April 9, 1865 • Lenient surrender terms An artist’s rendition of the meeting

48. Lincoln’s Assassination • On Good Friday, April 14, 1865, at Ford’s Theater • Shot by actor John Wilkes Booth • Booth killed 12 days later • Vice President Andrew Johnson became president • Lincoln was universally mourned An illustration of Lincoln’s assassination

49. Impact of the War: the Union • 111,000 killed in action • 250,000 killed by non-military causes (mostly disease) • Over 275,000 wounded • Estimated cost in today’s dollars: $6.19 billion Union dead at Gettysburg

50. Impact of the War: the Confederacy • 93,000 killed in battle • 165,000 killed by non-military causes • Over 137,000 wounded • Estimated cost in today’s dollars: $2.10 billion Destruction in Atlanta after Sherman’s troops took the city