Transcript Background Information on the Eve of the Civil

Background Information on the Eve
of the Civil War
THE NORTH V. THE SOUTH
Format
 Information about
the North will be in
the left column
 Information about
the South will be in
the right column
Other Names
 Union, United States
of America, Federals,
USA
 Confederacy,
Confederate States of
America, CSA
Flags
 Stars and Stripes
 Stars and Bars,
and a separate
battle flag
Number of States
 23 states (not counting
CA or OR)
 11 states
Population
 22,000,000
 Between 10-
12,000,000
(3,500,000-4,000,000
of which were slaves)
Industrial Development
 92% of the Nation’s
industries were in the
North
 Very little industrial
development; mostly
an agrarian (farming)
economy
Railroad Mileage
 75% of the nation’s
railroad miles were in
the North
 Many fewer miles of
railroads in the South
(25%)
 The map on the next
slide shows American
railroads in 1851
Financial Resources
 Had 75% of the
nation’s wealth in
banking,
manufacturing and
shipping industries
 Most of the wealth
was in land and slaves
Leadership
 Abraham Lincoln
 Experience as a lawyer,
limited experience in
Congress, and virtually
no military experience
 Jefferson Davis
 Senator from
Mississippi and
Secretary of War
 Military experience in
the Mexican War
Jefferson Davis
Generals
 West Point Military
Academy graduates
 Few Union Generals were
effective in leading Union
Armies until Ulysses S.
Grant’s rise in 1862-1864
 Perhaps the South’s
greatest advantage
 Brilliant, bold
military leaders from
Virginia Military
Institute (VMI), West
Point and other
academies
Northern Fighting Strategies




Bring the South back to the Union ASAP
Never recognize the South’s independence
Strangle the South with a naval blockade (Anaconda Plan)
Defeat Rebel Armies, split the South in two and capture the
capital (Richmond, VA)
Southern Fighting Strategies
 Fight a defensive war until the Union no longer has the
will to fight
 Stress how secession is a parallel with the 13 colonies
pulling out of the British Empire in 1776
 Capture Washington, D.C.
Capital Cities
 Washington, D.C.
 Richmond, Virginia
Naval Power
 Large navy which
grew even larger as
the war progressed
 Virtually no navy at
the start of the war
Cause for Fighting
 To preserve the
 To gain independence
Union (at first)
 Later the
emancipation of
slaves became a cause
 To save “The
Southern Way of Life”
which included
slavery
 States rights
Slang Names for Troops
 Federals, Yanks, Billy
Yanks, Yankees,
Blues, Bluebellies
 Rebels, Rebs,
Confederates,
Graybacks,
Butternuts, Johnnies,
Johnny Rebs
Northern Miscellany
 Battles were fought away from home
 Less skilled in the military arts
 Thousands of immigrants were fighting for no purpose
that made sense to them
 Farm Acreage: 65%; dominant crops- wheat and corn
 Divided politically into at least four groups (included
anti-war groups)
Southern Miscellany
 Traditionally protecting their homes and
way of life
 Fought on their own land, which they
therefore knew better than their opponents
 Military tradition: nearly every male citizen
skilled at riding horses and using rifles
 Violence was a traditional aspect of
Southern Society
Mrs. Atkins Miscellany