Instructional Focus
Document Notes
Grade 8/Social Studies
UNIT: 11
TITLE: Sectionalism and
Civil War
Part 1: Sectionalism
Three Sectional Leaders


While conflict between political parties declined,
disputes between different sections of the
nation sharpened.
In Congress, three men would play major roles
in politics for the next 30 years. Each of the
three represented one of the three different
regions of the country
John C. Calhoun spoke for the South

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He supported the War of
1812
He was a firm defender of
Slavery. Like many
Southerners he saw slavery as
necessary for labor, and
therefore an economic issue
He opposed any policy that
would strengthen the federal
government
He claimed that state
governments should have the
right to reject federal laws
Daniel Webster spoke for the North

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
He opposed the War of
1812
Wanted the federal
government to take a
larger role in building the
nation’s economy
He opposed slavery and
thought it was evil
Henry Clay spoke for the West
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
Was the leader of the
War hawks and therefore
supported the War of
1812
Favored a more active
role for the federal
government in
promoting the country’s
growth
Sectionalism

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The country had become divided with
Sectionalism.
Sectionalism is loyalty to One’s State or local
region, rather than to the nation.
Sectionalism had led to early conflict in the
United States with the issue of States Rights and
the Nullification Crisis.
Missouri Compromise

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Both the North and the South had a balance in
Congress with 11 free states and 11 slave states
Missouri wanted to be admitted into the United
States as a slave state which would upset the
balance
Henry Clay suggested admitting Missouri as
slave state, but at the same time, admit the
territory of Maine as a free state
Missouri Compromise


This would keep the
balance in Congress and
it became known as the
Missouri Compromise
Congress drew a line
across Missouri’s
southern border and
prohibited slavery above
the border
Missouri Compromise
Slavery in the Territories


Northerners did not want slavery to extend into
any of the western territories and tried to get
the Wilmot Proviso passed through Congress
which would have banned slavery in all the
territories, but it did not pass the Senate
Bother Northerners and Southerners argued
over the issue of slavery in the west
Slavery in the Territories
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Some moderates suggested extending the
Missouri Compromise line all the way to the
Pacific Ocean
Others suggested that people living in the
territories could vote for themselves whether or
not to allow slavery
A new political party called the Free Soil party
was formed to keep slavery out of the West
California
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
When California applied for statehood, there were 15
slave states and 15 free states.
California wanted to be admitted as a free state and this
would upset the balance
California


Southerners feared that if California were to
enter the United States as a free state, then all of
the western territories would be admitted as free
states and the South would be hopelessly
outnumbered in Congress
Some extremists even hinted that the South
should consider secession as an option
The Great Compromiser

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
Henry Clay had been
nicknamed the Great
Compromiser for working
out numerous compromises
to keep the North and the
South happy
Clay wanted to find a
permanent solution or he
feared the Nation could be
torn apart
Henry Clay helped reduce
sectional conflict through
legislation
Clay vs. Calhoun


John C Calhoun refused
to compromise on any
issue.
He insisted that slavery
be allowed in the West
and furthermore,
runaway slaves that had
escaped to the North
should be returned
Compromise of 1850

Henry Clay came up with
the Compromise of
1850, but he had become
ill and Stephen Douglas
of Illinois helped push it
through Congress
Compromise of 1850
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The Compromise of 1850 had 5 parts
1. California would be admitted as a free state
2. The rest of the western territories would use popular
sovereignty and decide for themselves whether to have
slavery
3. The slave trade was outlawed in Washington D.C.
4. A strict fugitive slave law would be enforced
5. A border dispute between Texas and New Mexico
was settled
Compromise of 1850
Fugitive Slave Act

The Fugitive Slave Act
part of the Compromise
required that all runaway
slaves who had escaped
to the North would be
returned to slavery in the
South
Uncle Tom’s Cabin

In 1852, Harriet Beecher
Stowe, a woman from
New England wrote the
novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin
which told the story of a
slave’s brutal treatment at
the hands of a slave
owner
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
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The book was extremely
popular in the North and
helped to boost the
Abolitionist Movement
Southerners felt the
book was unfair
propaganda
The book increased
tension between
Northerners and
Southerners
Kansas-Nebraska Act

Stephen Douglas introduced a bill that would divide the
Kansas-Nebraska territory into two territories : Kansas
and Nebraska
Kansas-Nebraska Act


Stephen Douglas
proposed that Popular
Sovereignty be used to
decide the slavery issue
Both pro-slavery and
anti-slavery forces
flooded the Kansas
territory with settlers
hoping to cast their vote
Bleeding Kansas
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
Both elected their own
governments and
violence soon erupted
Kansas Became known
as “Bleeding Kansas” as
armed gangs from both
camps clashed in
numerous attacks across
the Kansas territory
Bleeding Kansas

John Brown led a gang of abolitionists. He said it was
God’s will that he punish all slave holders. He murdered
several pro-slavery people resulting in retaliations and
more violence
Dred Scott vs. Sanford


Dred Scott was enslaved to a
slave owner who had moved
to the free territory of
Wisconsin
After they moved back to
Missouri, Scott’s owner had
died. Lawyers for Scott
argued that since Scott had
lived in the free territory, for
several years, he should be
legally free
Dred Scott vs. Sanford
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

In the case of Dred Scott vs.
Sanford, the U.S. Supreme
Court ruled that since Scott
was a slave (property) and
therefore not a citizen, he
could not file a case
The Court further ruled that
Congress did not have the
power to outlaw slavery in
any of the territories
Congress responded by
saying slavery should not
exist anywhere in the United
States
The Republican Party Emerges


In 1854 in Michigan, a
group of Free Soilers,
Whigs, and former
Democrats met to form
a new political party that
would take a stronger
stance against the spread
of slavery
They formed the
Republican Party
Lincoln/Douglas Debates


Abraham Lincoln ran on
the new Republican
ticket for the office seat
of Senator from Illinois
Running for re-election
for the same seat on the
Democrat ticket was
Stephen Douglas
Lincoln/Douglas Debates


Lincoln challenged the
very popular Stephen
Douglas to a series of
debates to be held across
the state of Illinois
People and Newspapers
from all over came to
these public debates
Lincoln/Douglas Debates


Lincoln argued that slavery should not be allowed at all
in the Western territories
Douglas said that the issue of slavery in the Western
territories should be decided by Popular Sovereignty
Lincoln/Douglas Debates


Stephen Douglas barely
won his re-election
Lincoln, however,
became well known
across the country
because he was very
good at speaking to large
groups of people and he
delivered many
memorable speeches
John Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry
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
The radical abolitionist John
Brown plotted to raid a
federal arsenal in Harpers
Ferry Virginia for weapons to
be used in a slave revolt that
he would lead
Brown managed to capture
the arsenal, but he himself
was later captured by the
federal army
John Brown’s Trial


The trial of John Brown
became a media event.
Throughout the trial,
John Brown carried
himself with a calm
demeanor and behaved
with dignity even after he
was sentenced to death
John Brown’s Trial

John Brown quickly
gained many admirers in
the North and after his
execution, he became a
martyr

Part 2: Civil War (1861-1865)
Lincoln is Elected


Lincoln was chosen by
the Republican Party to
run for President in the
election of 1860
The Democrats were
split between Northern
Democrats and Southern
Democrats
Lincoln is Elected


Stephen Douglas ran on
the ticket for the
Northern Democrats
while John Breckinridge
ran on the ticket for the
Southern Democrats
Southerners knew that if
a Republican won,
slavery would be finished
in the West
Lincoln is Elected
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Lincoln’s name was even
kept off the ballot in 10
Southern states
The Northerners
outnumbered the
Southerners, however,
and Lincoln won the
Presidency
Lincoln is Elected


Many Southerners now
felt that the new
President and Congress
were against the interests
of the South
They felt that an
abolitionist was now in
the White House
Secession

Southern states felt they had no choice left but to secede from
the Union. On Dec. 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first
state to secede. By February, Alabama, Georgia, Florida,
Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi also seceded
Secession


Lincoln faced a very dangerous situation when
he took office. He warned that no state had the
right to leave the Union, calling it illegal. He
stated that there would be NO civil war,
however, unless the South started one
…..“In YOUR hands my dissatisfied fellow
countrymen and not in MINE is the
momentous issue of civil war”……..
Fort Sumter

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
Fort Sumter was a
federal fort located
within the borders of
South Carolina.
Since South Carolina was
no longer a part of the
United States, they felt
the fort now belonged to
them.
They demanded that
Fort Sumter surrender
Fort Sumter
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
When Major Robert
Anderson refused to
surrender Ft. Sumter to
South Carolina, the
confederates fired upon
the fort
These were the first
shots of the Civil War
Differences between the North and
South
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North=UNION
91% Factory production
71% Total population
71% Railroads
75% Farmland
4% Cotton production
189 million in bank deposits
56 million in gold
Large navy and trading fleet
Poor military leaders
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South=CONFEDERACY
9% Factory production
29% Total population
29% Railroads
25% Farmland
96% Cotton production
47 million in bank deposits
27 million in gold
Small navy and trading fleet
Strong military leaders
Civil War Leaders

Jefferson Davis became
the President of the
Confederacy. Davis was
widely respected as a
leader, however, he often
worried about small
matters and spent much
time arguing with
advisors
Civil War Leaders

Lincoln at first had
people worrying about
his inexperience and
abilities to be an effective
leader, but he very
quickly proved to be a
strong leader and a good
war planner. He gained
the respect of his
advisors
Civil War Leaders


Lincoln knew that the
obvious choice for
commander of the
Union Army was Robert
E. Lee
Lee was considered by
many to be the greatest
military generals ever
Civil War Leaders
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
When Lincoln asked Lee
to take command of the
army of the Potomac
(The main army of the
United States), Lee
declined
Lee stated that he could
not go against his home
state of Virginia
Battle of Bull Run
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
Many Northerners expected a quick and easy
victory for the Union because they knew that
the Union army greatly outnumbered the
Confederate army
Union troops strolled with confidence to meet
the Confederate army at the small stream in
Virginia known as Bull Run Creek. Many
northern civilians accompanied the army hoping
to see a great show.
Battle of Bull Run
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
Commanding the
Confederate army was
General Thomas Jackson
At first the sheer number
of the Union troops
appearing caused the
Confederate army to
panic and break up
Battle of Bull Run
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Spectators began
cheering saying “The war
is already over!”
But Thomas Jackson did
not move. He stood his
ground like a stone wall
earning him the
nickname Stonewall
Jackson
The Confederate army
rallied behind Jackson
Battle of Bull Run
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A bloody battle ensued and in the end, the Union army panicked
and fled the field of battle
Many spectators who had not been killed also fled alongside
Union soldiers
Battle of Bull Run
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
The Battle of Bull Run
showed that the Civil
War should be taken
seriously
It showed that the War
would be long, costly and
it indicated that there
would be many casualties
on both sides both
military and civilian

Part 3: Civil War (1861-1865)
Early Years of the War


Lincoln placed George
McClellan to be Union
commander after the disaster
at Bull Run
Because the Union had
invaded Virginia, Robert E
Lee offered his services to
the Confederacy who
promptly made him
commander of the
Confederate army
Early Years of the War
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The Union Army continued to meet defeat after
defeat at the hands of the Confederate army.
This was due largely to the fact that the
Confederate army had excellent military leaders
such as Stonewall Jackson, James Longstreet,
George Picket, Jeb Stuart and of course Robert
E. Lee
Confederate Generals
Early Years of the War


Union Generals such as
McClellan preferred to
use caution when dealing
with the Confederate
Army. They wanted to
get better trained
Most Union generals
were scared of the
Confederate generals
especially Robert E Lee
The Virginia and the Monitor
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With a superior navy, the Union was able to set
up a naval blockade of all the Southern ports
preventing the Confederacy from trading with
anyone.
The Confederacy needed a ship that could break
through the naval blockade
Confederates too a Union ironclad named the
Merrimack and renamed it the Virginia
The Virginia and the Monitor
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Iron plates were fitted all
around the ship making
it practically impervious
to cannon fire.
It was successful at
breaking through the
blockade and tore
through traditional
wooden war ships
The Virginia and the Monitor
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The Union responded
with another ironclad
ship named the Monitor
It rested low in the water
and had a unique rotating
turret with twin cannons
The Virginia and the Monitor
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Both ships eventually clashed in battle off the
coast of Virginia
Neither ship was able to damage the other
Eventually both ships withdrew from the battle
ending in a draw
This battle proved the effectiveness of the new
metal steam powered war ships and it ushered in
the age of the ironclads
The Virginia and the Monitor
Virginia vs. Monitor
Battles of the Civil War

The Confederates still
managed to defeat the
Union forces time and
time again at many
battles including
Chancellorsville and the
worst Union defeat of
the war: Fredericksburg.
Plus many more
Battles of the Civil War
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Union generals were
proving to be weak
leaders
Lincoln replaced
McClellan with Ambrose
Burnside
Burnside was replaced
later by Joseph
Hooker…who was also
later replaced
Battles of the Civil War

There were a few Union victories such as the battle of
Shiloh and Antietam, but these victories came at a
heavy cost of thousands of lives
Battles of the Civil War

The Battle at Antietam was the bloodiest single day in
the Civil War with over 23,000 casualties in just one day.
Emancipation Proclamation
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In the middle of the war, Lincoln decided to
issue the Emancipation Proclamation which
freed all the slaves in the Confederate states.
Slaves in the Union states would remain slaves
Although Lincoln felt that slavery was wrong, he
did not want to anger slave holding Union states
that had remained loyal to the United States
Emancipation Proclamation

Lincoln did not want the Emancipation Proclamation
to seem like a desperate act, so he waited until the
Union had a few big victories before issuing it. (like
Antietam)
African American Contributions
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
Frederick Douglass helped
persuade the Union to form
an African American
regiment.
The Union army decided to
form an all black regiment
called the 54th
Massachusetts. At first they
were used only as labor, but
the commander, Colonel
Shaw worked to get them
into battle
African American Contributions
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The regiment proved their
courage in battle and won
many engagements
William Carney, a soldier in
the 54th, even won the
Congressional Medal of
Honor.
On the attack at the
Confederate Ft. Wagner, the
54th led the charge. They lost
over half their number, but
opened the doors for African
American soldiers
Ft. Wagner was never taken

In the South, as the Union army pushed into the South,
slaves were liberated and left the plantations to freedom
Women’s Contributions
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
Women on both sides played
large roles in aiding the war
effort. As men left for the
battlefield, Women took over
factories an businesses,
plantations, etc.
On both sides women acted
as nurses tending to the
wounded and the sick
Women’s Contributions

Like in wars from the
past, such as the
Revolution, some women
also disguised themselves
as men so that they could
take part in battles
Battlefield Conditions
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
On both sides MOST
soldiers were under the age
of 21. Many were mere
teenagers
These young boys became
hardened by their
experiences, sleeping on hard
ground in all weather
conditions and learning to
face enemy fire and stand
their ground
Battlefield Conditions
Battlefield Conditions
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New weaponry made the battlefield even more horrific.
Cone shaped bullets replaced musket balls. These mini
balls, as they were called, were far more accurate and
deadly
Battlefield Conditions

Rifled muskets fired
shots that could go much
farther and were much
more accurate
Battlefield Conditions
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Cannon accuracy was
significantly improved as
well during the Civil War.
Explosive shells were
more deadly and precise
than ever before
Battlefield Conditions
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During the Civil War, the
Gatling Gun was
invented and deployed to
the battlefield.
It was the worlds first
machine gun and
increased casualty rates
immensely
Battlefield Conditions

In most all the battles,
one fourth to half of all
the soldiers engaged
perished
Casualties of the Civil War
Medical Care
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Medical care was very
crude and many
wounded soldiers faced
unheard of horrors in
the hospital tents.
Minor wounds often
became infected and
limbs usually were
amputated
Disease
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Diseases such as malaria,
dysentery, cholera, and
influenza killed just as
many soldiers as did
bullets and cannons
Prisoners Of War
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Prisoners of War on
both sides were treated
inhumanly
They experienced the
worst the Civil war had
to offer
Many were neglected and
starved to death
Prisoners Of War
Draft Laws
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As the war dragged on, public support
dwindled. Many young men stopped
volunteering for the army.
Congress decided to enlist a draft which would
require all able bodied males between the ages
of 20 and 45 to serve in the army
However if one could pay $300, then he could
avoid the draft
Draft Laws
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Many felt this was not
fair, because only the
wealthy could afford the
$300 pay off
As a result draft riots
broke out in many cities
across the North to
protest the draft
The Tide Turns
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As the war stretched on, the South was
beginning to suffer economically
The South could not keep up with the North in
factory production, which produced badly
needed supplies
The Northern naval blockade of Southern ports
prevented the South from selling cotton, or
trading with anyone
Union Naval Blockade
Tide Turns
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Wile both sides were losing thousands of young
boys every month, the Union had the
population to replace its losses
The south could not replace its losses so the
Confederate army continued to shrink
After years of bad leadership, the Union was
finally getting strong military leaders such as
Generals George Meade, William T. Sherman,
Winfield Hancock, and Ulysses S. Grant
Strong Union Generals
Tide Turns

Philip Bazaar was a
Chilean immigrant who
distinguished himself in
the U.S. Navy during the
assault on the
Confederate Ft. Fisher.
Gettysburg
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Lee came up with a plan
to invade the North, lure
the Union army out in
the open and destroy it,
thus bringing an end to
the war
He invaded Pennsylvania
and began a march
toward Washington D.C.
Gettysburg

A small detachment of the Confederate Army
went into the town of Gettysburg looking for
shoes when they encountered a Union
detachment also in Gettysburg. They
immediately began fighting and reinforcements
gradually arrived until it was a full engagement
between the Union Army (George Meade
commanding )and the Confederate Army
(Robert E Lee Commanding)
Gettysburg

The Confederate Army
was able to drive the
Union Army from the
town, but the Union
Army took a defensive
position on excellent
ground along Cemetery
Ridge outside of the
town
Gettysburg
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Three days of savage fighting
resulted as the Confederate
army tried to dislodge the
Union army from its
position.
The first attempt was at the
southern flank at the battle
of Little Round Top.
The Union miraculously held
off the Confederate attack
Gettysburg
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Each attempt by the
Confederate army failed
to dislodge the Union
position
Lee decided on one last
charge straight up the
center of the Union
lines. General Pickett was
chosen to coordinate the
attack
Pickett’s Charge

Pickett coordinated a 15,000 strong attack force for
over a mile straight at the Union Center. As Pickett’s
charge advanced, they were under such intense cannon
and gunfire that only a few thousand made it halfway
Pickett’s Charge
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The charge ended in absolute Confederate failure.
This battle broke the invincible back of the Confederate army
The Confederate Army was forced to retreat from Gettysburg.
The Confederate invasion was turned back.
Gettysburg
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More than 50,000 were
killed or wounded at
Gettysburg
It was the turning point
of the Civil War
Gettysburg Aftermath
Gettysburg Address

A ceremony was given to
commemorate the Union
soldiers who had died at
Gettysburg. Lincoln
attended the ceremony
and delivered his speech
now famously known as
the Gettysburg Address.
In his speech he
reminded Americans that
this country in a struggle
Gettysburg Address
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He reminded Americans that this country was
based on the principle that all men are created
equal. He said that the Civil War was a test to see
if a democratic nation could survive.
He stated that … “A government of the people,
by the people, and for the people shall not
perish from the earth”
Gettysburg Address

This contrasts sharply to
the sentiments in
Jefferson Davis’
inaugural address where
he defends the institution
of slavery and the
sovereignty of the
individual states.
Total War
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After Gettysburg, things
went badly for the
Confederacy
Generals Grant and
Sherman adopted a
policy of “Total War”.
This meant that nothing
would be spared as their
armies invaded the South
Total War
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Death and destruction
followed them as they
burned their way through
the South eastward
toward Richmond.
This was Sherman’s
March to the Sea
Last Months
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As the Union Army pressed on through the
South, they continued to meet heavy resistance
and fight bloody battles with the remainders of
the Confederate army
Thousands upon thousands of Union soldiers
were killed in these assaults, but they were
continually replaced with new recruits.
The Confederate army did not get replacements
as their army continued to shrink
Last Months
Richmond Falls
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The capital of the
Confederacy, Richmond
Virginia, was under siege
and being bombarded.
Lee’s army was forced to
abandon the city, and the
Union took the
Confederate capital (after
its near destruction)
Richmond Falls
Appomattox Court House


Finally, faced with overwhelming odds, General Robert
E. Lee decided to surrender the Confederate army to
Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House.
Lee met Grant for the first time to discuss terms of
surrender
Appomattox Court House
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Grants terms for surrender were considered to
be quite generous and very simple
All confederate soldiers were required to turn
over their weapons, renounce loyalty to the
Confederacy, and go home and be citizens of
the United States once again
On April 9, 1865, the Civil War came to an end
Appomattox Court House
Civil War Ends
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The costs of the war were
tremendous.
Over 360,000 Union
casualties
Over 250,000 Confederate
casualties
No other war in history
resulted in as many
Americans dead
The war resulted in freedom
for all men