Transcript Chapter 20 Notes_AP

Chapter 20 Notes
Menace of Secession
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Abraham Lincoln sworn into office, March 4,
1861
Says there would be no conflict unless the
South provoked it
Says Secession is completely impractical
North and South were like conjoined twins,
depended on each other for survival
Lincoln’s First Inaugural
Address
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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 will swell when
again touched, as surely they will be,
by the better angels of our nature.”
Lincoln’s thoughts on effects of
Secession
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Goal of his presidency was to bring nation
back together
Dividing country doesn’t not make geographic
sense (where do you draw the western line?)
If South left, how much of national debt would
they take? What would be done about
runaway slaves? Would North have to return
them, would they be refugees?
A separation of the US is exactly what Europe
wants because they are threatened by US
power
Fort Sumter
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As seceding states leave the Union take over any former
Federal property within their borders, forts, arsenals,
mints, etc
When Lincoln takes office only two forts in the CSA still fly
US flags, most important was Fort Sumter outside
Charleston, SC (fewer than 100 men stationed there)
Supplies are running low at the island fort, if no supplies
come than commander would have to surrender to the
CSA without a single being fired
If Lincoln sends more troops to protect fort than SC will
surely see this as an act of war and CSA will fight back
Tells SC that he is sending a ship to bring basic supplies
to men NOT weapons to fight them
War begins
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Before supply ship can reach Fort, SC
fires on the fort April 12, 1861 (feel that
Lincoln was being aggressive and did
not trust it was “just supplies”)
Fort is bombed with cannons for 34
hours, no lives lost, commander
surrenders fort to CSA
Lincoln’s Response
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April 15, 1861 Lincoln calls to states for 75,000
volunteers to join the military
Orders naval blockade of Southern ports
(blockade would remain intact for next 5 years)
Following win at Fort Sumter, VA, Ark, and TN
secede (NC already done so)
Richmond, VA replaces Montgomery Alabama
as capital of CSA (proximity to Washington
makes many nervous, which is the point)
Virginia Secedes
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Lincoln calls for 75, 000 volunteers
to serve for three months to defend
the Union
VA refused to fight against their
fellow Southerners and seceded
from the Union
• Huge loss
• Most populated
• Most industrialized (especially in
iron working)
Secession
•AK, TN, and NC also secede bring
the total of Confederate states to 11
•The West of VA were antislavery
idealist  they seceded from their
own state to join the Union becoming
West VA in 1863
•Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, ad
Missouri although slave states,
remained in the Union but still mostly
fought for the Confederacy.
Border States
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Only slave states left were what are known as the “Border
States”, Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware
(later West Virginia which has separated itself from VA
over the issue)
Critical to both sides of the war
If joined CSA it would almost double white population in
CSA, and increase by half its capacity for manufacturing,
supplies (mules, horses) and give strategic prize of Ohio
River
Both groups want to control Ohio River because of its
location (flows deep into heart of CSA where most of its
gunpowder and iron was produced)
Border States
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Fear was that these slaves states would leave
the Union at any minute
In Maryland, Lincoln declares martial law (rule
by military) in order to seize the state’s railroad
system (not exactly constitutional)
Sent military to Missouri and WVA
Makes clear his goal is to reunite union NOT
end slavery!!!
Native American Tribes take
Sides
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The “5 Civilized Tribes”, Cherokee, Creek,
Choctaw, Chicksaw, and Seminole all fought
for the South
Some owned slaves (Cherokee)
Secure their loyalty the CSA agreed to take
over federal payments to tribes and invited
tribes to send delegates to CSA congress
Some Plains tribes (mainly rivals of
Cherokees) fought for North
Brother vs Brother
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Billy Yank (nickname for North), Johnny
Reb (nickname for South)
Many Southerners fought for North and
vice versa
Could have brothers from same family
fighting on each side
Advantages of the South
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Only had to defend their land (rather than conquer it, like
the Americans during the Revolution)
Geography (fighting on home soil, knew the land)
Greatest Advantage: Leadership
Gen. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson both considered
to be top generals in country
North really wanted Lee but he could not take up arms
against his home state of VA, even though he did not
care for slavery
Southerner men seemed “born to fight”, accustomed to
managing horses and weapons since boyhood made
excellent soldiers (Calvary and foot)
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Rebel Yell designed to strike fear in the hearts of Yankees
“Southern Ingenuity”
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A major disadvantage was the lack of manufacturing in
the South, no factories to make weapons etc.
To solve the problem southerners seized federal
weapons, blockade runners, developed own ironworks
But as war drags on (lasts longer than the 90 days both
sides thought it would) south is hurt by lack of supplies
Have shortages of food, shoes (soldiers in bare feet, even
in winter), uniforms, blankets, etc
Rallying cry was to capture other side to get their food!
Advantages of North
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Population (3:1 in favor of the North)
Industry, can make whatever they need, weapons,
cannons, etc
Most of nations railroad lines (quickly destroy what RR
the South does have, cut off supplies)
US Navy (south has to develop one)
Economy, more money (GREATEST ADVANTAGE OF
NORTH AND GREATEST WEAKNESS OF SOUTH)
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3/4TH of nation’s wealth is up North (includes 3/4th of
railroads, 30,000 miles)
Blockade of North using US Navy stops south from selling
cotton to buy its supplies
Dethroning King Cotton
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Southern “game plan” was to get aid from Europe, mostly
GB, due to their need for cotton
Aid never comes
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Many of working class in Europe had read Uncle Tom’s
Cabin and were shocked at Southern Slavery, wanted
slavery to fail
Many European countries want the US to split up (want to
see Democracy fail)
GB had greatly depended on Southern cotton but had
good crops for a few years prior to the war and was also
getting a large amount from India and Egypt
North also won bonus points of favor with Europe by
sending over food supplies during war, “King Wheat”
Diplomacy: Trent Affair
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South never abandoned its hope of foreign aid
and Europe never really gave up plan to see a
weakened US
Trent Affair: (late 1861) Union warship sailing
seas north of Cuba stopped a British mail
steamer, the Trent and forcibly removed to
Confederate diplomats bound for Europe
GB and South furious, demand release of men
Lincoln has men released “one war at a time”,
can’t fight them both
Diplomacy: Alabama--stop
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GB often made ships for South, didn’t call them warships
because when left GB did not have guns, etc on board
(picked up guns elsewhere)
1862, Alabama heads to Azores to get fitted with
weapons
It was Confederate ship but never docked at a Southern
port and was steered by GB
Traveled world and captured 60+ vessels, north is not
happy about the Confederate “British pirate ship”
British actually had planned to build raider ships for south
but ended up stopping this plan, it is things like this that
shows GB sympathy or aid to the south but never fully
supports them.
Confederacy
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South was a confederacy, a loose affiliation of
states, any state could leave at any time, agree
with the rest or not, unite or do its own thing,
“states rights”
During a war, state might not follow the
strategy, or might not send troops or money or
anything else,
Confederacy was weak by design, not always
the best set up to win a war
Jefferson Davis
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Never very popular.
Very business like,
stubborn, and
physically over
worked himself
Very devoted to the
South and “the
cause”
Abraham Lincoln
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Had his troubles but
had the advantage of
being head of an
established country
and stable
government
Limitations on Wartime Liberties
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Several things AL did were clearly unconstitutional but felt they
were allowed due to the “emergency” of the situation. Without
Congress in session (no one to stop him):
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Increased size of Army (per Const only Congress can do this,
Congress later approves)
Sent $2 million to 3 private citizens for military purposes
Suspends writ of habeas corpus so arrests could be easily made
“Monitors” voting on Border States (made sure vote turned out his
way)
Martial Law in Maryland
Jefferson Davis could never do things like this in South didn’t
really have same power since it was just loose alignment of
states
Volunteers Vs Draftees: North
and South
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First days of war LOTS of volunteers (even whole towns)
But as war drags on and on, enthusiasm goes down
Both North and South have to draft soldiers
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Congress allows rich to buy their way out of draft for $300, means
someone who can’t afford to pay the bill has to fight instead. Not very
popular with poor
Union draft begins in 1863, and strongly protested.
NYC experiences draft riots
90% of Union soldiers were volunteers. Signed up due to
patriotism, pressure, and $ bonuses (scams abounded)
South starts draft in 1862, had less of population
Soldiers ranged from 17-50, sometimes younger, need all able
bodied men and wont use slaves
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Those with 20+ slaves were exempt from draft
Economic Stresses of War:
Raising Money
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US needs more $$$ and passes Morrill Tariff
Act which raises tariff from 5% to 10%, rates
will go eventually go higher
Treasury Dept printed about $450 million in
paper money (greenbacks). Money is not
properly back with gold which causes inflation,
at one point a greenback is actually only worth
$.39 on the dollar
Largest fundraiser is through sale of
government bonds. Basically IOUs to the
public. Sale of bonds brings in $2.6 billion
Changes in Economics
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National Banking System is created, 1st
national system since Jackson had killed 1st
BUS in 1830’s
Reason for importance:
Established a standardized money system
Could by gov’t bonds and issue paper money.
(regulated the amount of money in circulation,
today we call it “monetary policy”)
Will last for 50 years until replaced by current
system, Federal Reserve System in 1913
Economic Woes of South
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Union naval blockades locked down South
Can’t export cotton, cut off from main source of income
Sold gov’t bonds to raise money at home and abroad
(about $400 million, will become worthless after war)
Increases taxes which people can’t pay
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In general southern states reject this plan, only raise 1% of
war funds through this
Just printed money with reckless abandon, at one point
CSA dollar worth 1.6 cents (not even paper it was printed
on)
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Inflation is out of control, 9,000% inflation in South vs 80%
inflation in North
North’s Wartime Economic
Boom
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Civil War was great for business (most wars
are)
Millionaire class (in North) was made for the
first time from wealthy manufacturers
Some not honest “profiteers” scammed
government with bad products
New Machinery helped production
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Standardized size of clothes were born
Mechanical reapers harvested bountiful crops
Oil discovered in PA
Women in the War
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Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell: first female
doctor
Clara Barton: founder of Red Cross
Dorothea Dix: nursing (also mentally ill)
Sally Thompkins: nursing
Crushed Cotton Kingdom
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Before war South held 30% of nation’s
wealth, afterward only 12%
Before war southerners made 67% of
northern wages, after only 40%
Yet, South continues to fight for “the
cause”