Civil War Study Guide
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Chapters 16 : The Civil War Begins
Period________________
Learning Goal: Students will independently be able to identify and
understand the events, leaders, and strategies which shaped the Civil
War and transformed the nation.
Ch. 16 Section 1 - Use page 510 to define:
Confederacy –
Robert E. Lee –
Fort Sumter –
First Battle of Bull Run –
Thomas J. Jackson –
border states –
Anaconda Plan –
Ch 16 Section 2- Use Page 517 to define
The Monitor
The Merrimack
enlist
Ch. 16. Section 3 – Use page 522 to define:
George McClellan –
Ulysses S. Grant –
William Tecumseh Sherman –
Battle of Antietam -
Learning Goal: Students will independently be able to identify and
understand the events, leaders, and strategies which shaped the Civil
War and transformed the nation.
Chapter 16: On a separate sheet of paper answer the following questions in complete sentences.
Section 1 pp.511-515
1. How did the Civil War erupt (begin)?
The Civil War started over Fort Sumter a Union
Fort in confederate territory. Lincoln was faced
with two choices: 1. Send supplies and risk war or
2. Give in to the Confederates and surrender the
fort. Lincoln decided to send supplies. He notified
the Confederate leaders of his decision, and the
Confederates attacked the fort before the
supplies arrived. Lincoln made the Confederates
take the first shot.
2. Describe the North’s strategy for winning the war.
The Union’s strategy for winning the war was
called the Anaconda Plan. Its purpose was to
squeeze or strangle the Confederate economy.
To do this the Union had to do 3 things:
1. Set up a naval blockade along the
Confederate coastline to prevent supplies
from coming in.
2. Take control of the Mississippi River to cut
the Confederacy in two.
3. Capture the capitol of Richmond Virginia.
3. Explain the South’s strategy for winning the war.
The Confederate plan was to fight a defensive
war. This would hopefully lengthen the war and
the Union would lose support for its war effort.
They were also hoping for foreign support,
mostly from England and France, for trading
cotton for supplies, but both countries had
enough cotton. The Confederates ended up with
a mixture of offensive (on the attack) and
defensive (holding off attacks) strategy.
4. List the strengths and weaknesses of the Union.
Strengths of the
Union:
1. Large population
(22 mill)
Larger army
2. 85% of nations
factories
Make more
supplies for the
war.
3. 70% of nations
railroad lines.
Be able to
Weaknesses of the Union
1. Long supply
lines:
Takes longer to get
supplies and supplies
could be stolen or
destroyed by
Confederacy
2. Fewer good
military leaders.
Poor battle plans,
fewer victories, more
transport supplies
and troops faster.
4. Large navy:
Better able to
blockade the
Confederacy
casualties.
3. Soldiers fighting
an offensive war.
Use up supplies
and lose more
soldiers
4.
5. List the strengths and weaknesses of the Confederacy.
Strengths of the
Weaknesses of the
Confederacy
Confederacy
1. Large geographical
1. Smaller population
area: more are to
(5.5 mil): smaller
hide
army
2. Good generals:
2. Few factories: less
better battle plans,
able to make
more victories
supplies for war
3. Soldiers fighting a
effort
defensive war to
3. Fewer railroads:
protect their
couldn’t get supplies
homeland: fight more
and troops moved as
fiercely.
quickly.
4. No naval power:
could not break
through blockade to
get supplies
5. What were the three lessons learned from the First Battle of Bull Run?
The three lessons learned at the 1st Battle of
Bull Run were
1. The fighting would be bloody
2. The war would not be over quickly
3. Confederate soldiers would fight fiercely to
defend the Confederacy.
Thomas J. Jackson’s nickname was
“Stonewall”
The 1st Battle of Bull Run was the 1st major battle
of the Civil War.
Section 2 pp.520-521
6. Explain three ways technology caused the Civil War to differ from previous conflicts.
There were many new technologies that changed
the way war was fought. Improvements in
weapons due to the use of the rifle and Minie
ball allowed soldiers to shoot farther and more
accurately resulting in more casualties. Ironclads
also changed naval warfare. They were faster
and better protected than wooden ships.
Railroads helped move supplies and soldiers
faster. Trench warfare and grenades helped
soldiers to protect themselves and inflict damage
on the enemy without a formal assault (attack).
Section 3 p.527
7. Why did Lee take the war to the North?
Lee took the war to the North because he was
on a winning streak and the Union was at a
low point. He hoped a victory would force
Lincoln into peace talks, the invasion would
give Virginia farmers a rest during harvest
season, the Confederate soldiers would be able
to steal food from the North, and the victory
would convince Britain and France to side and
support the South.
Unfortunately, the plans for the Battle of
Antietam in Maryland were accidently left at a
campsite by a Confederate soldier and
discovered by the Union. The plans were
delivered to Union General George McClellan
and the battle was the bloodiest day in
American history – 23,000 men were dead or
wounded with ¼ of Lee’s army lost. (Sept. 1862)
Lee retreated, and the cautious McClellan failed
to follow, which frustrated Lincoln who fired
him.