Civil War and Pre-Civil War Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What was a primary consequence of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill?

Strengthening of the Whig party.

Introduction of a new political party. (correct)

Establishment of the 36 30 line.

Implementation of national conscription.

Which political party was formed as a result of discontent and realignment of existing parties?

Know-Nothing Party

Republican Party (correct)

Free-soilers

Southern Democrats

What was the Supreme Court's ruling in the Dred Scott case?

Scott's residency in a free state made him free.

Scott was granted citizenship.

Scott had no rights as a citizen. (correct)

Congress could ban slavery in territories.

Which group campaigned on temperance and expressed fears towards immigrants?

Know-Nothings Signup and view all the answers

What was an initial advantage of the South in the Civil War?

Better military leadership. Signup and view all the answers

What was one major challenge faced by the North during the Civil War?

Recruiting military personnel. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Lecompton Constitution represent?

A pro-slavery constitution in Kansas. Signup and view all the answers

Why was the Battle of Bull Run significant?

It was a major win for the Confederacy. Signup and view all the answers

What was one significant consequence of Johnson's reconstruction policies?

The Freedmen's Bureau was effectively destroyed. Signup and view all the answers

Which amendment states that the right to vote cannot be denied based on race?

15th Amendment Signup and view all the answers

What was a common reason for the failure of Reconstruction?

Supreme Court rulings weakining the amendments. Signup and view all the answers

What did the term 'state suicide' refer to in the context of Radical Republicans' plan for Reconstruction?

The belief that Confederate states should start over as new states. Signup and view all the answers

What were literacy tests and poll taxes used for during Reconstruction?

To disenfranchise certain voters, particularly African Americans. Signup and view all the answers

What did sharecropping often lead to for the sharecroppers?

Perpetual debt and economic trapping. Signup and view all the answers

Why were Johnson’s policies viewed as overly lenient towards the Confederacy?

He pardoned many former Confederate leaders and returned land. Signup and view all the answers

What did Kaczorowski argue about the intentions of the Republicans in Congress regarding the amendments?

They aimed to establish broader civil rights. Signup and view all the answers

What was a key component of the Anaconda Plan?

Blockade Southern ports Signup and view all the answers

Which battle is known for introducing the realization of the high casualty rates in the Civil War?

Shiloh Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the major drawbacks of the South's military draft?

It included exemptions for wealthy individuals Signup and view all the answers

What was Lincoln's approach to the homefront during the war?

Suspended civil liberties to maintain control Signup and view all the answers

What did the Emancipation Proclamation achieve?

Declared all enslaved individuals in rebellious states free Signup and view all the answers

Which general was known for his aggressive tactics and later died at the Battle of Chancellorsville?

Stonewall Jackson Signup and view all the answers

What was a key consequence of the Confederacy's loss at Gettysburg?

It marked a turning point leading to Northern victory Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the main divisions within the North during the Civil War?

Opposition from Democrats who wanted an end to the war Signup and view all the answers

What was Sherman’s strategy during the war?

Wage total war to deny resources to the South Signup and view all the answers

How did the Freedmen’s Bureau assist newly freed individuals?

Provided medical care and education Signup and view all the answers

What did Lincoln's 10% plan propose for former Confederate states?

Re-entry to the Union with 10% loyalty pledges Signup and view all the answers

What was a primary focus of Radical Reconstruction?

Heavy punishment and oversight of Southern states Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect did the Black Codes seek to reinforce?

Restrictions that closely mirrored slavery Signup and view all the answers

What issue did many planters in the South face during the war?

Increased taxation and drafts involving slaves Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Kansas-Nebraska Act and its Aftermath

Stephen Douglas's Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise's 36°30' line.
Popular sovereignty was established in the territories, leading to conflict.
The Whig party dissolved due to the Act, Fugitive Slave Act, and fears of "slave power."
Democrats also lost support but survived, albeit weakened by division.
The Republican party emerged, uniting northern Democrats, Whigs, and Free-Soilers.
Republicans gained majority of northern congressional seats in 1854.
They opposed slavery, supported federal land grants, internal improvements, and tariffs.
The Know-Nothings gained support by exploiting anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic sentiment.
Southern Democrats, a faction within the Democratic Party, combined with former Southerners Whigs, and supported slavery's expansion.
This further divided the Democratic Party.

Dred Scott Decision and the Lecompton Constitution

The Dred Scott Supreme Court decision (1857) denied citizenship rights to slaves and declared Congress powerless to ban slavery in the territories.
The Lecompton Constitution, a pro-slavery constitution for Kansas, was controversially imposed.

Causes of the Civil War

Northern Challenges: replacing troops, maintaining industry, and uniting public opinion were significant issues.
Southern Challenges: managing enslavement, motivating the fighting force, maintaining an economy impacted by a massive emigration of labor to the military.
Both sides faced logistical and management issues.

Initial Advantages and Strategies

South: better commanders and familiarity with the terrain.
North: implemented the Anaconda Plan (blockade, Mississippi River control).
South: prioritized defense and hoped for foreign intervention, a strategy challenging due to abolitionist sentiments globally.

Major Battles of the Civil War

First Battle of Bull Run: Union defeat, indicating a prolonged, bloody war.
Antietam: Union victory leading to the Emancipation Proclamation.
Shiloh: High casualties signaled a brutal war.
Gettysburg: Union victory, significant loss of Confederate troops.
Vicksburg: Union victory, securing control of the Mississippi River.
Atlanta: General Sherman's scorched-earth campaign.

Military Leadership

George McClellan (Union): Highly skilled but hesitated to engage, leading to his dismissal.
Robert E. Lee (Confederacy): A capable general commanding the Confederacy's main army.
Stonewall Jackson (Confederacy): A brilliant, aggressive general, who died in battle.

Southern Wartime Issues

Centralization: Confederate government becoming more centralized and bureaucratic to sustain the war effort.
Industrialization: Attempts at rapid industrialization, especially in arms production.
Sustaining War Effort: The need to collect taxes, draft troops, and manage worker shortages.
Slave Revolt Concerns: The South's constant fear of slave rebellions.

Northern Wartime Issues

Class Conflict: Military drafts impacting social class.
Economic Impacts: A boost in arms industry, but increased labor costs.

Northern Economy

War benefits arms manufactures and suppliers of goods needed for the war effort.
Significant strain on businesses lacking needed labor.
Larger businesses generally thrived during the war, while smaller ones struggled.

African-American Soldiers

Provided military service in the North, though often facing discrimination.
Demanded fair pay and treatment, protesting when denied these.

Lincoln's Handling of the Homefront

Downplayed the issue of slavery and focused on preserving the union.
Suspended habeas corpus and imprisoned alleged spies or dissenters.
Expansion of presidential power during wartime.

Emancipation Proclamation

Issued after the Battle of Antietam, declaring slaves in areas of rebellion free.
Did not apply to border states or territories already under Union control.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery except as punishment for a crime.

Sherman's Strategy

Focused on denying resources to the Confederacy to expedite war's end.

Groups Dissatisfied with the War

North: Democrats, Copperheads, working-class immigrants.
South: Planters, yeoman farmers, Union sympathizers.

Early Reconstruction

Lincoln's 10% Plan for re-admission of Confederate states.
Freedmen's Bureau provided aid, track down families, and offer land to former slaves, in theory.
Special Field Order No. 15 promised 40 acres and a mule.
Sherman failed to see this through, it never happened on a massive scale.

Black Codes

Legislative attempts to restrict the freedom of former slaves and return them to a quasi-slavery state.

Freed People's Response

Established independent churches and mutual aid organizations.
Desire to establish autonomy and ownership of property.

Johnson's Reconstruction

Pardoned many Southerners, including those who had fought against the Union, undoing much of Lincoln's plan.
Returned confiscated land to former owners.

Congressional Radical Reconstruction

Congress took a different approach, pushing for penalties on former rebels and rights for African-American citizens.
Viewed states as under federal control while reconstructing.

14th and 15th Amendments

14th Amendment: Citizenship rights for all persons born in the U.S.
15th Amendment: Right to vote for African-American men.

Reasons for Reconstruction Failure

Johnson's lenient policies and actions.
Southern violence and intimidation (e.g., Ku Klux Klan).
Weakening of 14th and 15th amendments by court decisions.
Economic challenges in the South.
General weariness with war and Reconstruction efforts in the North.
Sharecropping system, which bound farmers (including formerly enslaved people) to debt.

Historians' Views on Reconstruction

Benedict: Republicans intended narrower changes in federal-state relations.
Kaczorowski: Radical intentions of Congress are more significant than often stated.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key events and consequences leading up to and during the Civil War. This quiz covers the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, the Dred Scott case, political realignments, and significant battles. Examine important historical concepts and the challenges faced by both the North and the South.