Civil War Notes Week 1
Name___________________________________________
Period_________
Vocabulary Words Week 1
Fort Sumter - It is where the Civil War began when the Confederates attacked this Union fort.
Union - The Northern states that remained part of the U.S. during the Civil War.
Yankee - Nickname given to the Union soldier.
Confederacy- The Southern states that seceded from the Union during the Civil War.
Rebel- Nickname given to the Confederate soldier.
First Battle of Bull Run - First major battle of the Civil War. Shattered the North's hopes of winning the war
quickly, and made the Union realize they needed a better trained army.
The Beginning
The American Civil War is known as the first _______________________ war. It required huge armies
consisting of many volunteers who required vast amounts of supplies and equipment.
With the election of Lincoln, states started to secede from the Union.
The _________________ cause of the start of the Civil War was Lincoln being elected president.
Fort Sumter
The Civil War _______________ on April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter, SC. (It was a small fort on an island
that protects the entrance to Charleston Harbor.)
The Confederates ended up driving the Union out of Ft. Sumter after 34 straight hours of shelling it.
A New Nation
A total of ______ southern states created a new nation called the: Confederate States of America.(CSA)
The North or _________________ as it was called, had soldiers whose nickname was the Yankees.
The South or ________________________ as it was called, had soldiers whose nickname was the Rebels.
*Both sides had the challenge of preparing inexperienced and untrained soldiers.
The original purpose of the Civil War was to __________________the Union together.
Leaders
Union President: Abraham Lincoln
Confederate President: Jefferson Davis
North Main General: Ulysses S. Grant
Confederate Main General: Robert E. Lee
Comparing Economies
The North had an advantage over the South because their ______________________ was based on manufacturing,
not agriculture.
Population:
Manufactured Goods:
Miles of railroad tracks:
Iron Production:
Merchant ships
North – 22 million
North – 92%
North – 72%
North – 94%
North – 90%
South – 9 million (5.5 million free, 3.5 million slave)
South – 8%
South – 28%
South – 6%
South – 10%
Weapons, Tactics, & Technologies
Many new weapons, tactics, & technologies were introduced and used during the Civil War.
The submarine, Iron Clads, the repeating rifle and “rifling”, the “mini ball” bullet, Gatling gun, six shooter, land
mines, hand grenades, telegraph, railroads, air balloons for reconnaissance, blockade runners, amputation,
chloroform, and new fighting tactics.
Soldiers ate what was called hardtack. It was made from wheat or flour, water, and sometimes salt. They were
nicknamed “worm castles” because… well you know.
North’s Strategy
Known as the ______________________ Plan. They were going to blockade all ports and win through attrition
(wear them down).
South’s Strategy
They were going to pick ________________________ carefully, attack and retreat to avoid heavy losses, and wear
down the Union until it tired of the war.
First Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861)
It was the first __________________ battle of the Civil War.
The Union Army felt very confident that they would _____________________ defeat the Confederate Army.
Residents from Washington D.C. even travelled to the battle site with picnic lunches to watch the Union defeat the
Confederate Army.
The battle did start out well for the ____________________.
As the Confederates were retreating they saw Thomas Jackson (Confederate) still fighting the Union Army.
A _________________________ made the comment “look at Jackson, he is standing there like a stonewall”.
This earned him the nickname “________________________” Jackson.
The Confederates rallied and ended up winning The First Battle of Bull Run because of his bravery.
The historical significances of the battle was that it shattered the Union’s ________________ of winning the war
quickly, and it also made the North realize that they needed a better trained army.
Two years later: Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, in May of 1863, was accidently shot by his own men while
attacking the Union at dusk at the Battle of Chancellorsville. He had to have his arm amputated and died a week
later.
Civil War Notes Week 2
Name___________________________________________
Period_________
Vocabulary Words Week 2
The Battle of Antietam - Bloodiest one-day battle in U.S. history. The victory stopped France and Great Britain
from helping the South, and allowed Lincoln to take action on slavery.
Emancipation Proclamation- Freed all enslaved African Americans in the South.
Cavalry - Soldiers that fight on horseback.
Infantry- Soldiers that fight on foot.
Casualties – Soldiers that are killed, wounded, or taken prisoner in battle.
Border States- The states that stayed with the Union, but were also states that had slavery.
The Battle of Antietam (Sept 17, 1862)
This was the bloodiest one-day battle in U.S. history. There were over 3,650 ____________________ and more
than 17,300 wounded.
The battle occurred when General _____________ (Confederates) tried to invade Maryland in the North.
Emboldened by success, the Confederates wanted to take the war into _______________________territory. It was
also necessary because northern Virginia’s farms had been stripped bare of food.
The battle was _______________________ throughout the day at Burnside Bridge, Miller’s cornfield, and the
sunken road (Bloody Lane).
The fiercest fighting occurred in and around the ___________________________from about 6 a.m. to 10 a.m..
From about 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. both sides fought on the sunken _________________, or nicknamed “Bloody Lane”.
Fighting continued into the _________________________ around Burnside Bridge from about 1 p.m. to 3 p.m..
The Union could never take ________________________ of its successes, and Lee eventually escaped back into
Virginia.
The Battle of Antietam was essentially a draw. Since the Confederates _________________________ from the
battlefield first, it was considered a Union victory.
The historical significance of the Battle of Antietam:
 Bloodiest one-day battle in U.S. history
 Prevented the British and French from giving aid and recognizing the South.
 Lincoln used this victory a chance to take action on slavery.
The Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was Issued September 22, 1862
It freed all African American __________________ that were in states still in rebellion with the Union after
January 1st, 1863.
It did not free the slaves in the Union states that still had slavery. These were known as the border states.
The proclamation was very important as it changed the war from just preserving the Union to one of
______________________ the slaves as well.
Civil War Notes Week 3
Name________________________________________
Period_________
Vocabulary Words Week 3
Battle of Gettysburg- A three-day battle that the Union won, and is considered the turning point of the war.
Siege at Vicksburg- A union victory led by General Grant. Gave the Union control of the Mississippi River.
54th Massachusetts – A famous African American regiment that attacked Fort Wagner.
Clara Barton- A nurse known as the "angel of the battlefield". She also founded the Red Cross.
Gettysburg Address- A speech given by Lincoln dedicating part of the Gettysburg Battlefield as a cemetery.
The Battle of Gettysburg
It began on July 1, 1863 at ____________________________, PA.
It started when General Lee's men were in town looking for __________________. The Confederate army pushed
the Union army out of town the first day.
Both armies rushed _____________________ to the area to fight.
On July 2nd ________________ forces attacked, but the Union forces held their ground.
On July 3rd Lee's forces attacked again. Known as “Pickett’s ____________________".
Lee's troops suffered 7,000 casualties out of the 12, 500 ______________who were involved.
The Confederates _________________ the Battle of Gettysburg.
The entire three day battle cost Lee 28,000 casualties, or over ________ of his force.
The historical significances of the Battle of Gettysburg:
It was considered the turning _________________ of the war.
It was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War (7,500 killed).
Siege at Vicksburg
On July 4th, 1863 the city of Vicksburg, MS fell after a two-month siege by General ___________________ and
his Union army.
This gave the Union total control over the Mississippi River, and _________________ the Confederacy in half.
This along with General Lee's ________________ at Gettysburg was the beginning of the end for the Confederacy.
54th Massachusetts
The 54th Massachusetts was one of the most famous African American _____________________________.
They volunteered to be the _______________ wave to attack Fort Wagner near Charleston, SC on July 18, 1863.
The Union was never able to take the fort, but the 54th Massachusetts bravery won great ___________________
for African American troops.
Clara Barton
Clara helped take care of soldiers at the battlefield. She was known as the “ ___________________ of the
Battlefield”.
She also started the American Red Cross.
Women’s Role in the War
________________________ helped in the Civil War by writing letters for soldiers, nursing, fundraising, and
making uniforms.
The Gettysburg Address
Given by Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863. It is one of the best known ________________________ in
American history.
The address dedicated part of the Gettysburg battlefield as a ____________________________.
Edward Everett spoke for about 2 hours before Lincoln.
Purpose of Gettysburg Address:
Lincoln used the address to honor the fallen, and to remember the ideal
of the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal”,
and to challenge the nation that it was time we lived up to that ideal.
Civil War Notes Week 4
Name____________________________________________
Period_________
Vocabulary Words Week 4
Thirteenth Amendment- Amendment to the Constitution that abolished slavery in the U.S..
Total War – A type of warfare that destroys military, economic, and civilian resources.
General William Sherman- A Union general who marched his army through the South using total war to try to end
the South’s will to fight.
Appomattox Court House – The location where General Lee surrendered to General Grant, ending the Civil War.
Thirteenth Amendment
Lincoln’s re-election in November 1864 was a sign by voters to_____________ slavery.
On January 31, 1865 Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment which ____________________ slavery in the
United States.
Total War
Was a type of warfare used by General William Sherman as he marched across the South and destroyed both
___________________________ and military resources.
EX: railroads, crops, livestock, buildings.
Starting out General Sherman succeeded in destroying southern railroads and __________________________ the
city of Atlanta, Georgia.
Continuing his _______________ into the South, his campaign came to be known as “Sherman’s March
to the Sea”.
Sherman and his Union army cut a 60 mile path of ___________________________ from Atlanta, GA to
Savannah, GA.
The Union hoped this would help end the ___________________ will to fight.
Appomattox Court House
General Lee’s troops were running out of ______________________ and became surrounded near the
town of Appomattox Court House.
Over the next couple of days General Grant and General Lee sent ___________________ to each other
about a possible surrender.
General Lee eventually surrendered to General _____________________ on April 9, 1865.
When the South surrendered, General Grant gave General Lee and the Confederate soldiers’ generous
_____________________.
After four long years the Civil War was finally ___________________.
South in Ruins
Soldiers returned to find much of the South’s _________________ and farms destroyed.
The economy was ruined.
There were shortages of __________________, and many were in debt.
620,000 _________________ were lost during the Civil War.
More men died from diseases than from in battle.
Dysentery #1 killer (severe diarrhea)
Typhoid #2 killer (high fever from body lice)
(malaria, small pox, pneumonia, and poor hygiene were also factors)
Lincoln Assassination
On April 14, 1865 Abraham Lincoln and his wife attended a play at ________________ Theater. The
play was called: Our American Cousin.
It was 5 _______________ after the South surrendered.
John Wilkes ____________________ shot Lincoln in the back of the head while he sat in a private
balcony box.
Major Henry Rathbone tried to stop Booth and was _______________________ in the arm and cut on the
head.
As he _________________________ to the stage Booth shouted: “Sic Semper Tyrannis”, (Thus always to
tyrants).
The president ______________ early the next day.