The Civil War

1861-1865Chapter 20

The Civil War

Lincoln’s 1st Inaugural AddressNo interest in interfering with slavery where

it already existedSought to see laws of Union executed in all

statesWould use no force against the South except

to hold, occupy, or possess property & places belonging to US

Constitutional goal to establish “more perfect union” was perpetual & could not be undone except by all parties involved

No objection to Corwin AmendmentConstitution does not expressly say what

can/cannot be done with slavery in territoriesMail will continue

1st Inaugural Quotes“

In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to "preserve, protect, and defend it."

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• “ In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors…

“I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.” Lincoln 1861

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Secession

Regarding the Civil War, the London Times (November 7, 1861) editorialized

“The contest is really for empire on the side of the North and for

independence on that of the South, and in this respect we recognize an

exact analogy between the North and the Government of King George III, and the South the Thirteen Revolted

Provinces.”

GRAY/CSA• Confederate States of America

• President Jefferson Davis• Capital: Richmond, VA

• Rebs------Rebels---”Johnny Rebs”

• Secessh-------Seccession• Graycoats

• Yellow bellies

Flags: North/South

BLUE/USA• United States of America

or Union• President Abraham Lincoln• Capital: Washington, D.C.

• Feds-----Federal• Yanks-----Yankees

• Bluebellies• Blue coats

Fort SumterAs seceding states left the Union, they seized US arsenals, forts, mints, & public property within their borders.• 2 significant forts in the South remained: Fort

Sumter in Charleston Harbor –most important.

• held fewer than 100 US troops commanded by Maj. Robert Anderson

• running out of provisions• Lincoln sent an expedition to provision the fort-

not reinforce it• April 12, 1861- cannon from the shoreline of

Charleston bombarded the fort – 34 hours– no deaths—US garrison surrendered.

Picture: Fort Sumter 1

Fort Sumter 2

Effects of Sumter• provoked the North= unified many in the North

• Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 volunteers

• Lincoln declared a blockade of Southern ports= not very effective

• call for troops roused the South= Virginia, Arkansas, & Tenn. seceded– later NC ALSO (11 SECEDING STATES)

• Richmond, VA== new Confederate capital.

Cartoon: Lincoln vs Davis

Cartoon: North thought of secession

Cartoon: Davis hanging himself

Western TheaterEastern Theater

Why Lincoln WANTS TO hold the Border States• Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware, & West

Virginia

• all slave states

• all contained a white population more than half of the entire confederacy.

• Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri= almost double manufacturing capacity of the South & almost double supply of horses & mules.

• Kentucky (strategically important)- Ohio River (fed by Cumberland & Tenn. Rivers) penetrated deep into area of Confederacy rich in grain, gunpowder & iron.

How Lincoln held onto the Border states

1. Maryland: Lincoln declared martial law & sent troops in (Maryland could cut Washington off from the North)

2. Western Virginia & Missouri: Lincoln deployed troops

Declared openly that it was not a war to free blacks because he did not want to push border states into the Confederacy.

Southern Ohio (Butternut region), Indiana, & Ill. Settled mainly by southerners = pro-southern

• Lincoln declared his main purpose was to save the Union.

• **Lincoln suspended the right of habeas corpus in various border states

War in the West The Five Civilized Tribes : supported the Confederacy• Confederacy agreed to take over federal payments to

the tribes & NA delegates invited to attend Confederate Congress= Indians provided troops to Confederacy

22 states 23,000,000 population Industrial economy Majority of transportation Lincoln, a military novice.

Asks Robert E. Lee to command Union troops and declines

Belief war is about slavery and preserving the Union.

11 states 10,000,000

includes 4 million slaves Agricultural economy

Exports, not food Limited manufacturing and

railroad lines. Davis, military experience.

Better military leaders Belief war is about states

rights, independence and preserving their war of life.

“The North’s major advantage would be its economy and the South’s main disadvantage

was its economy”

Advantages for The South1. Could fight defensively behind interior

lines2. Morale= defending homeland from

invasion3. Most talented military officers (Robert E.

Lee, Thomas J. Jackson “Stonewall”).4. More ready fighting force- Southerners

bred to fight (“rebel yell”).

Disadvantages faced shortages of factories- seized federal forts & supplies, ironworks etc.= managed sufficient weaponry

• later- had shortages of shoes, uniforms, blankets

• faced supply problems due to inadequate transportation

• Population- 9 MILLION• Biggest weakness- economy

Advantages for the NorthThe North could grow its own crops & had a large

manufacturing base1. ¾ of the nation’s wealth2. ¾ of the nation’s 30 miles of Railroads3. controlled the sea- superior navy• sea power enabled the North to trade grain for

ammunition & supplies from Europe4. More man power- 22 million (Fed by steady supply

of immigrants).- 1/5 of Union soldier= foreign-born.• Disadvantages- soldiers less prepared; weak

higher commanders

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Population Factories Wealth Cotton

NorthSouth

Chart: North/South

Based on %

King Cotton Dethroned Revolutions generally succeed with foreign intervention• The South held out hope of foreign intervention (Europe’s

ruling classes supported the Confederacy)• Europe’s working classes were mostly supporting the North• the evils of slavery kept the ruling powers out

Why did British textile mill’s dependence on Southern cotton not bring Europe into the war?• over supply of cotton from 1857-1860• Americans sent food etc. to alleviate economic crisis • Union army confiscated cotton as it marched & sent it to

Europe• Confederates ran the blockades• Egypt & India supplied more cotton needs• Booming war industries relived unemployment • McCormick Reaper enabled North to send huge grain supplies

to Britain.

Lincoln & DiplomacyLincoln’s use of diplomacy helped prevent foreign intervention.1. The Trent Incident (late 1861) US warship stopped a British

steamer north of Cuba; & forcibly removed 2 Confederate diplomats= angered Britain= Lincoln freed the diplomats.

2. British were building Confederate commerce-raiders (the Alabama); Confederate commanders & British crew.

• Captured over 60 vessels= angered the North• Charles Francis Adams (US diplomat)- got Britain to

acknowledge that this should stop. • Alabama was destroyed off coast of France 1864• Confederate commerce-raiders (built in Britain) captured over

250 Union ships

3.The Laird Rams- 2 Confederate warships being constructed in Britain (1863)= US protested & warned of war= Britain bought the two rams & added to Royal Navy

4. Anger at France & Canada

Laird Brothers Shipyard; England

Laird ShipIron – Clad ship whose purpose was to Ram enemy ships.

Lincoln vs. Jefferson DavisJefferson Davis1. Confederate Constitution- had flaws; could

not forbid states from leaving (secession) Confederacy.

Davis wanted a more centralized government

& states rights advocates disagreed 2. Good Administrator; not popular with many

Lincoln 1. Advantage of long established government 2. Financially stable government3. Tactful, patient, firm

Lincoln/Davis

• Born in Kentucky• Self-educated

• Congressmen from Illinois• Abolitionist

• First Presidential candidate for the Republican Party

• Minority president

• Born in Kentucky• Served as Secretary of

War• Senator from

Mississippi• Slaveowner

• Served as Secretary of State

• First and only President of the CSA

When the Confederate States of America was formed, its founders wrote a constitution similar to the United States Constitution. Its differences, however, indicate how the South Wanted to change their structure of government.CSA Constitution

MAIN DIFFERENCES:• State’s rights• Tariffs are equal throughout the CSA

• Slavery is legal and is allowed to expand!

CSA Constitution

Rebel Cabinet

Lincoln Challenges Liberties in Wartime Lincoln used & expanded executive power

during the war (use of “Arbitrary Power”)1. Lincoln enacted a blockade (while Congress

was out of session), increased the size of the army- later supported by Supreme Court or Congress

2. Advanced $2 million to 3 private citizens for military purposes (Art. I, Sec. IX, paragraph 7)

3. Suspended habeas corpus rights in areas to arrest Anti-Union citizens (SC said only Congress could do this according to Constitution)

“Supervised voting” in Border states , suspension of freedom of press

Suspended “civil liberties” or parts of the Constitution writ of habeas corpus: Protects from

unfair arrest and trial by jury. Occupation of Baltimore: Controlled by

military---- “martial law” Arrested over 15,000 civilians: Without

“probable cause”---suspicious “Rebel” sympathizers.

Closed “rebel” newspapers: Violated 1st amendment rights of “free speech and press”.

First Income Tax Greenbacks

1st paper money

Volunteers & DrafteesThe Armies of the NorthAt first manned solely by volunteers (provided by each

state based on quota) (90%) 1. 1863 Draft – Congress passed 1st nationwide draft The rich could hire substitutes or purchase

exemptions for $300.= unfair to poor boys Draft Riots- in the North; NYC the poor Irish

immigrants rioted and attacked innocent blacks. Why?- anger that the rich could hire substitutes.

Enlistment Bounties- money offered by federal, state, & local government to enlist= “bounty brokers”= “bounty jumpers”

Union army recorded 200,000 deserters

Armies of the ConfederacyAt first relied mainly on volunteersSouth less populated had to resort to drafts

etc. more quickly than the North1862- The Confederate draftWealthy could hire a substitute or purchase

exemptionSlave owners or overseers could be exempt if

they owned 20 or more slaves (wealthy) “rich man’s war but a poor man’s fight”-

criticism Draft agents stayed out of mountain areas

Economic Stresses of the WarThe NorthHad most of the wealth= handle economic stress bestRevenue Excise taxes (tobacco & alcohol) increased by

Congress Income Tax- (for the 1st time)Tariffs – helped the North; (Morrill Tariff 1861)- raised

tariffs 5% to 10%= continued to rise during the war. (protective tariff identified with Republican Party)

Greenbacks-issued $450 million- not supported by gold = value fluctuated.

Borrowing- sale of bonds through Jay Cooke & Co.National Banking System (1863)- standard bank note

issue; banks could join & issue national notes & buy government bonds.

Northern Economic Boom1. New Factories- fostered by protective tariffs Manufacturers & business people become wealthy 1st American millionaires emerge Graft was rampant in the north- “age of shoddy”

2. New machinery= Economic expansion Sewing machine= military clothing= standard sizes

for clothing for civilians Mechanical reapers= allow farm boys to

fight=produced food for troops= sold excess to Europe= bought ammunition/arms

3. Petroleum- (1859- petroleum find in Penn.) –

4. Homestead Act 1862- 300,000 migrate west** only Northern industry to suffer= ocean trade

The Effect of the War on Economy of the South

Union Blockade prevented South from collecting tariff duties & hurt import/export

1860 = 30% of nations wealth 1870= 12% nations wealth1. Confederate Bonds- sold at home & overseas ($400

million)2. Increased taxes & taxed farm produce (Southerners

opposed to tax hikes (1% of income raised this way)3. Confederate money- over printing = inflation (9,000%

inflation); Confederate dollar worth 1.6 cents at end of war.

Southern income levels 2/5 that of Northerners for a century after the war

Manufactured items scarce during the war

Women & the War1. Opened new opportunities for women Took jobs vacated by men (clerical, industrial

employment (1 in 4 before the war; 1 in 3 during)2. Unconventional roles- @ 400 posed as males &

followed husbands to war. Spies- 3. Medicine- Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell- 1st female

physician organized US Sanitary Commission (trained nurses, etc.)

Clara Barton (Red Cross)& Dorothea Dix- turned nursing into female occupation

4. Misc. – women North & South helped with war effort.

Raised money for relief for widows, orphans, disabled soldiers

Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell: 1st woman to receive a medical degree from an American university

Clara Barton: “Angel of the Battle Field”; later founder of the Red Cross in the United States• Supporter of woman suffrage• Supporter of civil rights for blacks

Dorothea Dix : Superintendent of Army Nurses for Union Army

• Got the position over Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell• She and her nurses provided aid to soldiers of both

armies during the war.