Transcript Turning points of the U.S. Civil War

I can identify political and military turning
points of the Civil War and assess their
significance to the outcome of the conflict
Michael Quiñones, NBCT
www.socialstudiesguy.com
Assignment: History Detective
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Write about 5 sentences describing what
you believe the cartoon describes.
Choice Assignment [Select one of the
following/One page minimum]
[1] Write a 10 step battle plan to
defeat the North or South in
the Civil War.
[2] Write a one page letter home
as a Union or Confederate
soldier [or a battlefield nurse]
explaining your experiences.
[3] Write a response to the
Emancipation Proclamation as
a slave or Southerner [happy
or angry]. Be descriptive.
[4] Write an apology to president
Davis or Lincoln for your
failure as a General [Lee,
Grant, Jackson, McClellan,
etc.].
[5] Describe your assassination
plan and escape as John
Wilkes Booth [describe your
motivation for doing what you
will do].
[6] Witness at Appomattox
courthouse [describe what you
heard and saw].
Choice Assignment [Select two of the following/One page
minimum]
[1] Write an apology to General Lee
or Grant apologizing for your
failure as a soldier in a specific
battle [be specific].
[2] Write an apology to President
Davis or President Lincoln
apologizing for your failure as a
general in a specific battle [be
specific].
[3] Draw a battle scene describing
the use of telegraph,
reconnaissance balloons,
conoidal bullets or ironclad ships.
[4] Write a 6-panel cartoon strip
describing the surrender
agreement at Appomattox.
[5] Write a newspaper article
describing the assassination of
President Lincoln at Ford’s
Theatre in Washington, D.C.
[6] Draw a detailed picture of a
battle field at Vicksburg,
Gettysburg or Antietam [be
detailed].
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Macro Concepts
Conflict- Issues, problems
that can lead to fighting
without compromise.
Revolution-A dramatic
change in the way
something is done.
Leadership-The act of
setting an example for
people to follow.
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Micro Concepts
Resistance to war-Not
wanting to fight or
avoiding a military
conflict.
Turning Point-An event
that alters and changes
the course of history.
Strategy-a tactic or
technique used to try to
win.
The Union’s Blockade
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To trap and apply pressure to the Confederacy President Lincoln applied a
blockade of all major Southern ports: Wilmington, Charleston and
Vicksburg.
President Lincoln called his blockade strategy the Anaconda plan because
it was intended as way to squeeze the South’s ability to resupply itself.
The blockade strategy was designed to restrict supplies to the South.
Small boats [blockade runners] were able to outrun large Union ships to
provide supplies but much fewer supplies reached Southern ports.
Battle of Bull Run
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In order to seize a key railroad center in Manassas, Virginia President Lincoln
ordered a full scale attack to capture the rail line along the Bull Run River.
The early attack by Union troops was pushed back by Confederate troops led by
General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.
Confederate troops were able to gain the advantage because of reinforcements from
Virginia. This was the first of a few key battles the Confederate army won.
Lincoln’s internal problems and conflicts
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Copperheads-Like the poisonous
snake of the same name this
group of democrats wanted to
negotiate with the South instead
of fighting.
Conscription-Because of a lack of
willing troops both the North and
South were forced to draft
soldiers. If a person had $300
cash or had a willing substitute
he could avoid conscription.
Suspension of Habeas CorpusLincoln held people in jail without
trial for indefinite time periods
until they complied with laws.
Martial Law-Lincoln sent soldiers to
enforce order where rioting or
disorder took place and suspend civil
rights such as legal counsel and court
appearances.
New Military Technologies
Reconnaissance balloons-These devices were used
to track opposing armies from high above the
battlefields.
Conoidal bullets-Also known as the mini-ball these
devices improved the ability of soldiers to hit
enemies more accurately and from longer
distances.
Ironclads-Improved the ability of navies to attack
enemies and defend themselves from attack
because of protective steel armor.
Telegraph-Allowed long distance communication
between armies and commanders.
Antietam
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The bloodiest one day battle of the Civil War.
General Lee’s confederate forces attacked the North in Maryland.
Over 6,000 men were killed and over were 16,000 wounded.
This battle was devastating for the South and invigorating for the
North.
Vicksburg
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The battle of Vicksburg was a key victory for the Union because it captured
control of the Mississippi River.
Southern trade and supply was choked and almost completely cut off.
General Grant laid siege to the Confederate troops who were “dug in” by
constant artillery bombing.
After 6 weeks the Confederate soldiers who were still fighting surrendered
Vicksburg to General Grant.
Gettysburg
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The “last straw” or last major stand for the Confederates who were led
by General Lee was attacking the Union army at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
The result was a disaster for the Confederacy.
Altogether over 51,000 men were killed or wounded [28,000 were
Confederates].
The Union was motivated by an earlier battle loss at Chickamauga, Georgia.
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The Confederacy never recovered from the loss at Gettysburg.
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Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
This speech was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863 to honor and
declare the battle field as a national monument
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation,
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation,
so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field
of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place
for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting
and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow
this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated
it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long
remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us
the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought
here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the
great task remaining before us—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.
Sherman’s March
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Union General William Tecumseh Sherman was ordered to finish off
the Confederacy.
To end the war Sherman marched his army from Atlanta to Savannah in
Georgia then to Raleigh, N.C.
He destroyed rail lines, burned buildings, homes and arsenals.
The remaining Confederacy was destroyed after Sherman’s March was
done.
General Ulysses S. Grant
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Grant was, by the end of the
Civil War, the lead general
of the Union.
He had been determined to
destroy the Southern rebellion
at the orders of President
Lincoln.
He became so popular for his
military successes that he was
later elected President of the
United States.
General Robert E. Lee
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Before the Civil War began he was so
respected within the U.S. army he was
asked to led the Union army.
He refused the offer because he was a
Virginian and was named leader of the
Confederate Military forces.
He took many bold risks and lost the
Civil War largely due to Northern
industrial and population strength.
He was forced to surrender to the
Union at Appomattox Court House in
Virginia.
Union Generals
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Several union generals played important roles in the Union’s battles.
President Lincoln had to fire several of them for lack of success in battles.
McClellan, Burnside and Hooker were all fired by Lincoln for losing too
many men or making bad decisions.
General Sherman was most well known for being aggressive and burning
Southern towns as revenge for seceding from the Union.
General Burnside
General McClellan
General Meade
General Hooker
General
Sherman
Appomattox Court house
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After General Lee realized his Confederate forces could not defeat superior
Union forces he decided surrender was necessary to avoid further slaughter.
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Grant allowed Lee to surrender and not be prosecuted for treason.
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Confederate soldiers were allowed to return home with their horses.
Election of 1864
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Because of the success of the Union during the end of
the Civil War Lincoln was re-elected.
Lincoln was also able to push through the 13th
Amendment which officially ended slavery for all
remaining slaves in the United States.
John Wilkes Booth
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John Wilkes a very popular actor from a prominent family who was outraged
by the defeat of his beloved South.
He along with several accomplices developed a plan to kill Lincoln and his
cabinet.
Booth snuck up behind Lincoln during a play in Washington, D.C. and shot
him in the back of the head on April 14, 1865.
Lincoln died of the gunshot wound the next morning.
Assassination of President Lincoln 4-14-1865
Image Sources
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