Transcript civil war
Civil War (1861-1865) The War Itself The south left the United States one state at a time (secession), starting with South Carolina. Both sides expected the war to be quick and easy. Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Shooting started at Fort Sumter, a U.S. fort in the South It was mostly fought in Virginia (between the Southern capital at Richmond and the U.S. capital in Washington) and along the Mississippi River The North blockaded Southern ports, trying to keep food and supplies out North’s Advantages • Manufacturing: Their factories could mass produce weapons while the South had few facilities capable of providing the arms needed. Population: The North had a larger population which translated into the ability to field a larger army. Navy: The Northern navy prevented many supplies from being imported by the South. They blockaded ports. Agriculture: The North grew most of the country's food. The South had the plantations, but mostly cash crops were grown there. Railroads: More railroads meant better communication as well as better transportation. • Political Stability: The North also possessed an in-place, working government while the South was struggling to put their government together and fight a war at the same time. The world recognized the Union as the legitimate government, allowing loans and trade concessions. Money: The North had much more money with which to pay for it all. South’s Advantages Defensive War: It's very difficult to conquer an area. The South only had to muster the will to keep fighting until the North felt like quitting. Motivation: The South was fighting to preserve their homes from an intruder. The North on the other hand was fighting to preserve the union. To abolish slavery was added later, and this was not much comfort to most Northerners who had never seen a slave before. Native Soil: They were fighting on mostly native territory, thus they were more familiar with the ground. Military: From the beginning of the war, young southern men were accustomed to outdoor life, guns and horses that were part of rural life. The North had a large portion of immigrants and urbanites who were not accustomed to outdoor life, guns and horses. Military leadership of the South also consisted of many Mexican War veterans, and was superior to the north. Importances of the Civil War • Settled forever (?) that the United States can’t be dissolved---states can’t just leave if they feel like it • Set back Southern development for years- the South is still hurting • Put the Republican Party in control of government for ¾ of a century the Democrats were seen as a party of rebels • Northern industry boomed: the industrial revolution grows American slavery was ended Emancipation Proclamation "all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." It was an experiment in Modern War Weapons and machines Ironclad Ships The Merrimac The Monitor First Submarine Attitudes: total war (destroy the enemy’s ability to wage war- even shelling cities and terrorizing civilians) Tactics: sieges (surround a city and shell it until it surrenders); trenches (the rifle gives defense an advantage)