The Civil War

1861-1865

Chapter 16

The Two Sides

16-1

Pages 460-465

Choosing Sides

• After South Carolina secede from the Union, five states left the Union and formed the Confederacy in February of 1861.

• By June five more states joined the Confederacy.

Choosing Sides

Confederate StatesConfederate States

• South Carolina Dec.30, 1860

• Mississippi Jan.9, 1861

• Florida Jan. 10,1861

• Alabama Jan. 11, 1861

• Georgia Jan, 19, 1861

Choosing SidesConfederate StatesConfederate States

• Louisiana Jan. 26, 1861

• Texas Feb. 1, 1861

• Arkansas May 6, 1861

• North Carolina May 20, 1861

• Virginia April 17, 1861

• Tennessee June 8, 1861

The Confederate Government

President Jefferson Davis

Vice President Alexander Hamilton Stephens

Secretary of State Robert Toombs

Secretary of War Leroy Pope Walker

Secretary of the Treasury Christopher Memminger

Attorney General Judith P Benjamin

Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory

Postmaster General John H Regan

Capital Montgomery, Alabama then Richmond, Virginia

Choosing Sides

• The Confederacy choose Richmond, Virginia as their capital. It was 100 miles from the Union capital of Washington, D.C.

Choosing Sides

UnionUnion

• Maine

• Massachusetts

• New Hampshire

• Vermont

• New York

• Rhode Island

• Connecticut

• New Jersey

•Pennsylvania

•Ohio

Choosing Sides

UnionUnion

• Indiana

• Illinois

• Iowa

• Wisconsin

• Michigan

• Minnesota

• Kansas

•Oregon

•California

Choosing Sides

Border StatesBorder States• Maryland- close to Richmond, excellent

railroad lines and held the Union capital within its borders.

• Delaware- close to Philadelphia• Kentucky- controlled the Ohio River• Missouri-control of the Mississippi River• West Virginia- joined the Union after

breaking away from Virginia

Choosing Sides

Most white Southerners supported secession, but people in the Appalachian region of Tennessee and Virginia opposed it.

In Virginia a movement to secede from the state and rejoin the Union grew. The separate state of West Virginia joined the Union in 1863.

Choosing Sides

Discussion Question

Why was Maryland the most important border state?

Maryland was the most important border state because it was about 100 miles from Washington D.C. It had important railroad lines. If Maryland had seceded, Confederates would have surrounded the North’s government in Washington, D.C.

Comparing North and South

Advantages of the North

• A larger population

22 million people ( about 10 million more than the South. The South had 9 million free citizens and 3.5 million slaves)

Choosing Sides

Advantages of the North

More factories that could produce finish products such as guns, uniforms, and military supplies.

In addition these factories could produce canned food products.

Choosing Sides

Advantages of the North

A bigger and better navy and merchant marine.

Choosing Sides

Advantages of the North

Railway system twice as large as the South’s to move troops and supplies

Choosing Sides

Advantages of the North

Most of the banks and cash in the United States were located in the North.

The Advantages of the South

• Better military leaders at the beginning of the War

• Home court advantage- Most of the war was fought in the South on familiar terrain.

• More skilled horsemen and riflemen

• Strong support for the war from the South’s population.

War Aims

The major goals of the North were to:

• Restore the Union by bringing the Southern states that seceded back into the Union

• End slavery

War Aims

The Union Plan1. Blockade Southern ports to prevent

supplies from entering and cotton from being exported.

2. Gain control of the Mississippi River to cut Southern supply lines and to split the Confederacy

3. Capture Richmond the Confederate capital

War Aims

The South’s war goal was to win recognition as an independent nation so the South could preserve their traditional way of life, including slavery.

War Aims

The Confederate Plan

1.The Confederacy thought that the North would tire quickly so their aim was to hold as much territory as possible.

2.To obtain Britain and France as allies.

3. To move North and attack northern cities especially Washington, D.C.

Choosing Sides

Discussion Question

What do you feel was the greatest advantage and disadvantage of both the North and the South?

American People at War

• Soldiers came from all walks of life although many came from farms.

• One difficult aspect of the Civil War was that Americans were fighting other Americans.

• The average age of most soldiers was 25 years, but about 40 percent were 21 years or younger.

• A soldiers term of service was 90 days at first but then longer when the war did not come to a quick end as many has speculated.

American People at War

• The number of soldiers from the North and South differed greatly.

• By the summer of 1861, the Confederate army ( Rebels) numbered 112,000.

• The Union ( Yankees) numbered about 187,000.

American People at War

• By the end of the war 850,000 men fought for the Confederacy and about 2.1 million men fought for the Union.

• About 200,000 African Americans fought for the Union and about 10,000 Hispanics fought in the conflict.

American People at War

• Both sides expected the war to end quickly.

• Not all leaders shared this opinion, Northern General William Tecumseh Sherman predicted a very long war.

Choosing Sides

Discussion Question

What made fighting the Civil War difficult?

Although many thought it was going to be a quick and easy war to win this was not to be the case. Americans found it difficult as many were fighting no only fellow Americans but family members.