CWR - The Civil War (Lesson)
The Civil War
As America grew as a nation, the north and the south grew in their own distinct ways. These differences play a major role in the Civil War AND its outcome. Look over them in the chart below.
| NORTH | SOUTH | |
|---|---|---|
| Advantages | Major industries increased the wealth of the North and helped populate major cities. Industrial production provided much needed cash to fund the war. | Cultural history of military involvement. Numerous Confederate military leaders noted for their strengths. Chose to fight a defensive war and relied on their knowledge of their land and surroundings. |
| Economic Base | Varied economy centering on industry. | Agriculturally based economy centering on the plantation system. |
| Food Production | Northern states such as Pennsylvania produced large quantities of food. | Southern states dependent on the plantation system produced enough food for the plantations’ needs. |
| Population | Majority of the United States’ population found in the North. Large numbers of immigrants arrive annually in the North. | Minority of the United States' population. Of that population a large percentage was enslaved Africans. |
| Cities | With the influence of industry, the North had a number of cities with manufacturing and large populations. | Plantations found along major rivers were able to ship products to ports thus reducing the need for warehouses and major cities |
| Infrastructure | Railroads, roads and canals were built en masse to allow trade of Northern manufactured goods and Northern grains. Railroads were built on a unified system allowing ease of transportation. Northern cities had warehouses to store imported goods. | Plantation system produced all needs for a community. Cash crops and products shipped along major rivers to Southern port cities for export eliminating the need for canals, railroads and warehouses. Railroads developed by private companies, so their tracks were not standardized, slowing down transportation and trade. |
Important Figures of the Civil War
Explore each of the people in the activity below.
Major Battles of the Civil War
Learn more about the following battles:
- Fort Sumter
- Battle of Antietam
- Battle of Vicksburg
- Battle of Gettysburg
- Battle of Atlanta
Fort Sumter
Fought in April of 1861, the Battle of Fort Sumter marked the beginning to the Civil War’s fighting. Located in Charleston Harbor in South Carolina, Fort Sumter served an essential role in protecting the transportation and trade of one of the South’s major ports. The fort itself was under Union control at the outbreak of war. Surrounded by Confederates on shore the Union forces were low on supplies to defend the fort from the Confederates. The decision on how to proceed with Fort Sumter was critical. If Lincoln reinforced the fort with troops and ammunition, then he gave the Confederates a reason to retaliate and fire on the fort. However, if Lincoln and the Union did nothing, they would look weak and the Confederates would gain support. If the Confederates did not take action, then they would appear weak and lose validation and support. With the options laid out before him, Lincoln decided to send only food to the Union troops occupying Fort Sumter. The decision was solely in the Confederates’ hands as to whether or not to react to the resupply of Fort Sumter. The Confederates began the firing on the fort at 5 a.m. on April 12, 1865, and the Civil War was underway. The battle lasted 24 hours with no casualties. The actions by the Confederates not only started the war but also triggered the secession of Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Western counties in Virginia, typically mountainous and with little need for slaves, seceded from Virginia and form the basis for modern-day West Virginia.
The Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam is known for being the single bloodiest day in the Civil War and American history. Confederate forces under the command of Robert E. Lee marched into Maryland for the Confederates’ first offensive attack. The Confederates hoped their offensive would cause Maryland and its citizens to join the Confederacy over the Union. Furthermore, a victory in a Union state might bode well in attracting a European ally for the Confederacy. The ensuing battle resulted in the historical number of 26,000 casualties in a single day. While the Union forces outnumbered the Confederates, Union General George McClellan chose not to pursue the retreating Confederate forces. This action not only cost the Union a decisive victory in the battle, but also clearly outlined one of their weaknesses; strong leadership. While the Battle of Antietam was disturbingly brutal, it did also convince Lincoln of the necessity of issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.
The Battle of Vicksburg
Part of the Union’s Anaconda Plan was to take control of the Mississippi River, cut the Confederacy in two, and cripple their supply line along the Mississippi River. In order to accomplish this feat, the Union had to capture the geographically-strategic city of Vicksburg, Mississippi. This city lay at a nearly 180-degree bend in the Mississippi River. Whoever controlled this city controlled the flow of goods and supplies along the Mississippi River. During the summer of 1863, Union General Ulysses S. Grant and his forces bombarded the city for weeks. Ultimately Union forces prevailed; controlling the river, separating the Confederacy and isolating their supplies and troops. The Battle of Vicksburg’s victory also came at a unique time as it was won on the same day as another Union victory--the Battle of Gettysburg.
The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg occurred July 1-3, 1863. Confederate troops led by Robert E. Lee hoped a Confederate-led offensive in Union territory would result in the gain of supplies as well as be a hit to Union citizens’ will to continue to fight the war. However, as with the Battle of Antietam, Lee’s forces were outmatched--this time not by Union soldiers so much as by the geography of the area. The town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is surrounded by hills. Over the course of the three-day battle Union forces were able to outmaneuver Confederate forces and use the high ground to bombard the Confederate forces. The resulting 51,000 combined casualties over the course of three days made Gettysburg the deadliest battle of the entire war. Lee and his forces retreated after a last final attack. The Battle of Gettysburg served as the second turning point in the Civil War.
The Battle of Atlanta
After the successful campaign in the Western Theatre and the decisive Battle of Vicksburg, Union forces moved east. Union General William Tecumseh Sherman led his forces in the Battle of Atlanta in September 1864. Atlanta was a central transportation hub--specifically with railroad lines—because of its location. Furthermore, Atlanta had grown to be one of the largest industrial centers of the South. By capturing Atlanta, Sherman was able to break up the Confederate supply production and logistics. Sherman and his men defeated the Confederates in September 1864 and left Atlanta burning and in ruins. From Atlanta, Sherman led his troops southeast across Georgia to the Atlantic Ocean in his famous “March to the Sea,” and captured Savannah just before Christmas 1864. Sherman sent President Lincoln a telegram offering him Savannah as a ‘Christmas present’ a few days before Christmas. Over the coming months, as Sherman and his troops marched through Georgia and South Carolina, he and his men left a wide path of destruction. Sherman and his men made sure to destroy more of South Carolina than Georgia because South Carolina had caused the war with secession. Sherman engaged in “total war” in an effort to destroy the South’s infrastructure and their will to fight. He was successful. The Battle of Atlanta and the subsequent March to the Sea crippled Confederate forces and ultimately led to Lee’s surrender in April 1865 at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia.
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