Chapter 15: The Civil War

1861-1865

Day 1: Advantages and Disadvantages of the

North and South

North vs. SouthWithin days of the fall of Fort Sumter, more states left the Union and joined the Confederacy. The battle lines were now drawn and the Union, led by Abraham Lincoln, was ready to put down the rebellion in the South.

At the beginning of the war, it appeared as if the Union outweighed the Confederacy in almost every way.

Chart AnalysisWould population be considered capital, human, or a natural resource?

Would railroad mileage be considered capital, human, or a natural resource?

Would manufacturing plants be considered capital, human, or a natural resource?

Would industrial workers be considered a capital, human, or natural resource?

Would farm acreage be considered capital, human, or a natural resource?

Who had more resources in every category?

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages Disadvantages

North • Had nearly all of the factories in the country

• Twice as much railroad and twice as much farmland

• More population and more resources

• Had control of the navy

• Didn’t fight in their own territory

• Had to change hearts and minds, rather than take land

South • To win, the North had to invade the South, so they had home field advantage

• Most military schools were in the South and the nations military generals joined the Confederacy

• Strong morale

• Smaller population• Lacked transportation• Lack of industry

Military StrategiesIn order to take down the “rebellion” of the South, the North had to come up with a military plan to do so. If you were a military commander, how would you try to quickly and efficiently take down the South?

Anaconda Plan

North’s Plan to Defeat the South

1. Create a blockade around the South’s ports so that no supplies or any outside help can come from to the South.

2. Gain control of the Mississippi River, which was the South’s major transportation link, which would then split the South into two parts.

3. Take control of Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, which was only 100 miles from Washington, D.C.

South’s Plan to Defeat the North

1. Do not invade the North—there is no need to. Instead, defend their land until the North gets tired of fighting.

2. Get outside help from Great Britain—the South hoped that because they needed the cotton from the South in their textile mills, the British would help the Southern cause.

Final Thoughts

At the beginning of the war, who seemed like the clear winner? Why? Explain.