US Civil War - Memorial Day

1861-1865

- Large middle class / capitalists and banking

- Manufactured and controlled the ships that

exported cotton produced in the South

- Puritan work ethics prevailed: daily long working

hours, six days a week

- Puritans perceived leisure and games as a

waste of time

- Women active and hardworking: doctors,

writers, poets, religious activists

- Small middle class, large population of slaves

- Depended on slaves to produce the cotton

demanded by Great Britain

- Dislike Puritan work ethics, the less work the

better

- Like drinking, fox hunting, horse riding and

dueling

- Women were not active: usually slaves did all

the housework

- Population: large 22 million (A)

- 90% of industrial goods manufacturing (A)

- Efficient railroad system (A)

- Controlled the navy, which could be

used to blockade south ports and shut

down the southern economy (A)

- Had to fight an offensive war:

long supply lines, unfamiliar territory (D)

Excellent generals, for instance: Robert E. Lee (A)

Excellent riders, hunters that were familiar with climate

and territory (A)

Farmers were better fighters than factory workers (A)

Profitable economy based on cotton exports (A)

Population: short 9 million, including 3.5 million slaves (D)

Had to import industrial goods (D)

The South needed an alliance: Great Britain was

the ideal allied. Its industry depended on the

South “Cotton Kingdom"...but GB was cautious,

did not want to get involved:

GB had stockpiled cotton as the conflict was

escalating. They had also identified other

source of supply (Madras, India)

Most GB workers who lost their jobs in cotton

factories had been able to find work in the

new munition factories that were mostly

supplying the North

Most GB citizens resented slavery (abolished

by 1834)

GB crop failures had led to increased grain

trade with the North

A GB ship was intercepted by the North with South

“Ambassadors” on its way from the South to GB

The North resented GB interference, leading some to

call for war. However, Lincoln simply neutralized the

situation by releasing the ship and the southern

"agents"

GB had also sold several ships to the South, namely

the “Florida” and the “Alabama”, they had sunk many

North ships

It freed the slaves only in states that have seceded from the Union.

It did not free slaves in border states.

It was proclaimed on January 1, 1863

Lee realized that the South was in dire straits and decided that it was

crucial to attack the North on its own territory

July 1-3, 1863 - BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, Pennsylvania

Confederate heavy bombardment; however, Union held firmly

on July 3, General Pickett led 15,000 Confederate soldiers across open

fields - Union soldiers hold them and forced them down

Lee was defeated and retreated to Virginia

Gettysburg is the largest battle in the history of the Western hemisphere.

Over 100, 000 people died in 3 days It was the last time the South

invaded the North.

That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abe Lincoln

July 4, 1863 - another Union victory - VICKSBURG Won by U.S. Grant, cut South in 1/2 and gave the

Union control of Mississippi River Grant was then given control of all Union armies

began a "scorched earth" policy to defeat the South General Sheridan was given the mission to turn the

Shenandoah Valley, Virginia into a dessert General Sherman was given the task of taking

Atlanta; his "March through Georgia" saw total destruction from Atlanta to Savannah

April 3, 1865 - Grant took Richmond, Virginia (final blow to Lee's army)

Lee surrenders on April 9, 1865 at APPOMATTOX COURTHOUSE

All Confederate troops were forced to take an oath of loyalty to U.S.

Otherwise, terms of surrender were lenient, Lincoln didn't want a humiliated South and wanted to avoid further conflicts

issue of states' rights now "solved"- fed. gov't had asserted its status

The Civil has been the bloodiest war

in the US history

618,000 US soldiers died in the Civil War

116,000 US soldiers died in WWI

405,000 US soldiers died in WWII

58,000 US soldiers died in Vietnam

2,200 US soldiers died in Afganistan

4,500 US soldiers died in Irak

EFFECTS OF CIVIL WAR Creation of a single, large, unified country Abolition of slavery increased power to federal government, killed

the issue of states rights The U.S. now an industrial nation A much stronger sense of nationalism West lands increasingly opened to settlement South was economically and physically

devastated, w/ the plantation system crippled...thus Reconstruction (rebuilding the U.S. was needed) - but a deep hatred of the North remained for many years..

Memorial Day After the Civil War, people on their free will

started decorating the graves of the soldiers that died during this war

General John Logan in 1868 designated May 30 as Decoration Day, with the purpose that people had a designated date to decorate the graves

Then, Congress in 1971 changed the name to Memorial Day and made it a Holiday to be held the last Monday of May.

The main difference is that now all the US wars are included so that people can honored the soldiers that died while servicing their country

From Decoration Day (Civil War)

1868 to Memorial Day (All wars)

1971