Lesson 16.1a: War Erupts
Today we will examine the decisions made by
Lincoln in the early weeks of the Civil War.
Vocabulary
• examine – look at closely
• dilemma – a difficult problem with two
equally undesirable solutions
• militia – group of volunteers who serve in
their state’s military during emergencies
• border states – slave states that hadn’t
seceded yet
• secession – withdrawal from the Union
Check for Understanding
• What are we going to do today?
• What is a dilemma?
What is a militia?
What is a border state?
What We Already Learned
The election of 1860, which Abraham Lincoln won,
showed how slavery had divided the country.
What We Already Learned
In 1858, Lincoln himself had
warned that slavery might
fatally divide the Union.
• “A house divided against
itself cannot stand. I believe
this government cannot
endure, permanently half
slave and half free.
• I do not expect the Union to
be dissolved — I do not
expect the house to fall —
but I do expect it will cease
to be divided.
• It will become all one thing,
or all the other.”
What We Already Learned
After Lincoln’s
election, seven (7)
Southern states
seceded and by
February 1861
had formed the
Confederate
States of America.
Read aloud
with me!
What We Already Learned
In his inaugural
address, Lincoln
reassured the South
that he had no
intention of interfering
with slavery, but also
spoke forcefully
against secession.
What We Already Learned
• Lincoln wanted no invasion, but he would
not abandon the government’s forts in the
South.
• Most of these, including Fort Sumter in
South Carolina, were still in Union hands.
• These forts would soon need to be
resupplied.
Riddle Me
THIS,
Batman
1. How did the secession of the Southern states
confirm the fears Lincoln had expressed in
his “House Divided” speech?
A. The powers of the House of
Representatives would have to be
increased.
B. It demonstrated that Congress was too
weak to deal with the nation's
problems.
C. It meant slavery would have to be
outlawed in the United States.
D. It showed how the issue of slavery was
threatening the Union.
First Shots at Fort Sumter
• Fort Sumter was running
out of supplies.
Read aloud
with me!
First Shots at Fort Sumter
• Fort Sumter was running out of
supplies.
• Lincoln decided to send supply ships
to Fort Sumter.
First Shots at Fort Sumter
• Fort Sumter was running out of
supplies.
• Lincoln decided to send supply ships
to Fort Sumter.
• Confederate commander P.G.T.
Beuaregard’s shore guns fired on the
fort for 34 hours.
First Shots at Fort Sumter
• Fort Sumter was running out of
supplies.
• Lincoln decided to send supply ships
to Fort Sumter.
• Confederate commander P.G.T.
Beuaregard’s shore guns fired on the
fort for 34 hours.
• The fort commander
Major Robert Anderson
was forced to surrender.
First Shots at Fort Sumter
Two days after the
surrender of Fort
Sumter, President
Lincoln asked the
Union states to
provide 75,000
militiamen for 90 days
to put down the
uprising in the South.
Riddle Me
THIS,
Batman
Where were the first shots of the
Civil War fired?
A. At Abraham Lincoln by Robert E. Lee
B. At Fort Sumter, a Union fort in the
harbor of Charleston, South Carolina
C. In the First Battle of Bull Run, near
Manassas, Virginia
D. In Savannah, Georgia, as part of the
Anaconda Plan
Lincoln Calls Out the Militia
Lincoln’s
call for
75,000
state militia
troops
for 90 days
led to
enthusiasm
in the
North.
Lincoln Calls Out the Militia
Some
feared the
war would
be over
before they
got a
chance to
fight.
Riddle Me
THIS,
Batman
Which seven (7) states were the first
to secede to form the Confederacy?
Which one is NOT included?
Which seven (7) states were the first
to secede to form the Confederacy?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
South Carolina
Mississippi
Kentucky
Florida
Alabama
Georgia
Louisiana
Texas
Which one is NOT included?
Lincoln Calls Out the Militia
• Southern states that
had not yet seceded
reacted with shock and
anger to this decision.
• They thought Lincoln’s
call for troops was evil
and aggressive.
Lincoln Calls Out the Militia
Virginia
North Carolina
Tennessee
Arkansas
…voted to join
the Confederacy.
Lincoln Calls Out the Militia
As in the North, volunteers rushed to enlist on both
sides, many fearing the war would be over before
they could join the fight.
Virginia’s Secession
• With Virginia on its
side, the
Confederacy had
a much better
chance for victory.
• The Confederacy
was strengthened
by Virginia’s
wealth, population,
and prestige.
Virginia’s Secession
In recognition
of Virginia’s
importance,
the
Confederacy
moved its
capital to
Richmond.
Lee’s Decision
• Lincoln prepared for the
war by offering
command of all Union
forces to the talented
general, Robert E. Lee.
• Unwilling to fight
against his home state,
Lee resigned from the
U.S. Army and offered
his services to the
Confederacy.
Riddle Me
THIS,
Batman
Why was Virginia important to the
Confederacy?
A. It was home to many important factories.
B. It was a large and wealthy state.
C. Its mountains and valleys served as a
protective barrier for the Confederate
capital in Charleston.
D. It was the home of the talented general,
Robert E. Lee.
Choose all that are true!
Why did Robert E. Lee decide to fight
for the Confederacy ?
A. He did not support the
idea of the Union.
B. He hoped to serve in the
Confederate government
some day.
C. He refused to fight
against his home state.
D. He wanted to keep using
slaves on his plantation.
Choosing Sides
• It was important to Lincoln that the border
states did not secede.
• Border states were slave states that bordered
the North and had not yet seceded.
Choosing Sides
The location and
resources of the
border states
made them
pivotal in tipping
the scales to one
side or the other.
Choosing Sides
• Maryland was
of great
concern.
• If Maryland
seceded, then
Washington,
D.C., would be
cut off from
the rest of the
Union.
Choosing Sides
• Lincoln sent in troops
and ordered the arrest
of Maryland politicians
who were sympathetic
to the South.
Choosing Sides
• Lincoln sent in troops
and ordered the arrest
of Maryland politicians
who were sympathetic
to the South.
• Both Maryland and
Delaware stayed in the
Union.
Choosing Sides
• Kentucky was deeply divided over
secession.
• Its rivers could provide an invasion route
into the South, or provide a barrier for
the South.
• An 1861 invasion by Confederate troops
convinced the state to stay in the Union.
Choosing Sides
• Western Virginia, with the help of Union
troops, broke away from Virginia and
returned to the Union.
Choosing Sides
• In Missouri, Union troops and local
unionists fought against secessionists.
Choosing Sides
• In Missouri, Union troops and local
unionists fought against secessionists.
• In the end, Missouri stayed in the Union.
Riddle Me
THIS,
Batman
6. Why were the border states
important to both sides?
A. Their location and resources made them
pivotal in tipping the scales to one side or
the other.
B. They contained most of the people and
wealth of the country.
C. They believed in secession, but did not
recognize slavery.
D. Many European immigrants lived there, and
could influence the support of European
nations.
7. Which border state was formed when it
seceded from a Confederate state?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
North Carolina
North Dakota
West Virginia
New Jersey
Arkansas
Which border state was formed when it
seceded from a Confederate state?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
North Carolina
North Dakota
New Jersey
West Virginia
Arkansas
Lesson 16.1b:
Strengths and Strategies
Today we will list the strengths and
describe the strategies of each side
during the Civil War.
Vocabulary
• strength – a skill or an advantage
• strategy – long-term plan for success
• agrarian – having to do with agriculture or
farming
• diplomat – one who is appointed by his
government to maintain relations with
another country
What is an agrarian economy?
What is a strategy?
What We Already Learned
Charleston, South Carolina’s shore guns
fired on Fort Sumter until it was forced
to surrender.
What We Already Learned
Two days after the
surrender of Fort
Sumter, President
Lincoln asked the
Union states to
provide 75,000
militiamen for 90
days to put down
the uprising in the
South.
What We Already Learned
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
North Carolina
North Dakota
West Virginia
New Jersey
Arkansas
Lincoln’s call for troops led four more states to join
the Confederacy.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Industrial capacity
• About 85% of all factories were in the North.
• Factories: 119,500 (North) to 20,600 (South)
• Factory workers : 1,198,000 (N) to 111,000 (S)
• An industrial economy is invigorated by war
• An agrarian economy is devastated by war.
Farm acreage
• 105.8 million acres in the North
• 56.8 million acres in the South
Railroad system
• 21,847 miles in the North
• 8,947 miles in the South
• Railroad mileage: 71% to 29%
• Much of the Southern rail lines had
different gauges.
Population
• Union population: 22 million (71%)
• Confederate population: 9 million
(29%); 3.5 million were slaves
Public Support
• Public opinion was divided in the Union.
• Some Northerners want to fight for the
Union, while others wanted to let the
South go its own way.
• The South suffered from too much
democracy.
• Southern citizens often refused to pay
taxes, or provide slaves and supplies to
the Confederate army.
• Some Southern states even threatened to
secede from the Confederacy.
Economic Policies
• Confederates didn’t exploit the
Union blockade before it tightened.
• Unwillingness to tax citizens
• Confederacy didn’t promote
manufacturing
• Refused to free slaves for military
service
Wealth
• More people means
more money.
• More manufacturing
means more money
($1.7 billion in the North
vs. $1.56 million in the
South)
• Most banks were in
the North.
Established government
• Confederacy began with neither a national
government nor constitution
• Lincoln’s leadership
Military tradition & leadership
• More of the most
experienced and able
commanders were
from the South.
• Most Southern men
could ride and shoot
well.
• The South had always
had a military school
tradition.
An established Navy
• Nearly all shipyards were in the North.
• Most naval officers were Northerners.
• The Union would be able to blockade the
Confederate coastline.
Diplomacy and Foreign Policy
• Union Secretary of
State William Seward
was an able diplomat.
• US-Britain relations
were very good in 1861.
• The Union had many
trade ties w/Britain.
• European countries
were opposed to
slavery
Location
• Most battles would have to be fought in
the South.
• Confederates would have knowledge of
the land.
• Southerners would be close to their
supply lines.
Motivation
• Northern reasons
for fighting
(preserving the
Union) were
indistinct.
• Southerners fought
to defend their
homes and way of
life.
Riddle me, will
you this?
What were the
strengths of the Union
when the war began?
A. More people and
factories
B. Talented generals
C. Strong public support
D. An established navy
E. An established government
F. Presidential leadership
What were the Confederacy’s
strengths at the beginning of the war ?
A. An established navy
B. Military tradition and
leadership
C. Defensive strategy
D. More railroads
E. Better motivation
F. Good relations with
foreign countries
The Confederate Strategy
• At first, a defensive strategy
• No need to invade or conquer your enemy: just
survive until Northerners grew tired of the war
and accept Southern independence
The Confederate Strategy
‘King Cotton’ was withheld from the market as a
way to win foreign support.
The Confederate Strategy
King Cotton referred to cotton’s
importance to the South and to the
world’s economy.
The Confederate Strategy
• Unfortunately
for the
Confederacy,
European
nations had
surplus cotton
in their
warehouses.
The Confederate Strategy
• Unfortunately for the
Confederacy,
European nations
had surplus cotton in
their warehouses.
• Most did not want to
get involved in a
foreign war.
The Confederate Strategy
• Unfortunately for the
Confederacy,
European nations
had surplus cotton in
their warehouses.
• Most did not want to
get involved in a
foreign war.
• Britain had begun
cultivating cotton in
its colonies in India.
The Confederate Strategy
As the war went
on, the South
began to take the
offensive, hoping
to wreck
Northern morale.
Riddle me, will
you this?
Why did the Confederates believe that they
would be helped by Britain?
A. They could increase cotton
production as a form of bribery to
foreign textile-producing nations.
B. They portrayed themselves as
victims of Northern aggression
and brutality.
C. They could withhold cotton from
world markets, and force France
and Britain to aid the Confederate
cause.
D. They were lending money to
foreign governments in an
attempt to buy their assistance.
The Union Strategy
• General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan
The Union Strategy
• General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan
• A naval blockade of the South’s coastline
The Union Strategy
• General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan
• A naval blockade of the South’s coastline
• Union to split the Confederacy in two by
gaining control of the Mississippi River
The Union Strategy
• General Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan
• A naval blockade of the South’s coastline
• Union to split the Confederacy in two by
gaining control of the Mississippi River
• Capture Richmond, the Confederate
capital
• One drawback –it would take time to
work.
Battle of
Bull Run
• To take Richmond, the railway
center of Manassas, southwest
of Washington, D.C., would
have to be taken first.
• July 21, 1861, Union forces
clashed with Confederate
forces near a little creek called
Bull Run.
Battle of Bull Run
General Irvin McDowell led Union forces
against Confederates commanded by
General Pierre Beauregard.
Battle of Bull Run
The battle was confusing, due to the
smoke, the noise, and the similarities in
flags and uniforms that day.
Battle of Bull Run
At first, Union troops outnumbered the
Confederates and had the upper hand.
Battle of Bull Run
Fresh Confederate troops arrived by
railroad, and the tide of battle began to turn.
Battle of Bull Run
Eventually, the Union troops broke ranks and fled all
the way back to Washington, D.C..
Battle of Bull Run
• The Confederate victory
thrilled the South and
many in the South
thought the war was won.
• Lincoln sent the 90-day
militias home and called
for a real army of 500,000
volunteers for three years.
• It was beginning to look
like it would be a long
war.
Riddle me, will
you this?
What were the three parts of the Union’s
Anaconda Plan?
A. Withhold factory goods from Britain
until we have their help in the war
B. Naval blockade of the South's coastline
C. Capture of the Confederate capital city
D. Union control of the Mississippi River
E. Reliance upon European aid
Choose ALL that are true!
How did Lincoln react after the
Battle of Bull Run?
A. He replaced General Meade with
Ulysses S. Grant.
B. He considered resigning from the
presidency.
C. He called for 500,000 volunteers
to enlist for three years.
D. He issued the Emancipation
Proclamation.