Civil War: Secession and Major Battles

Secession and Fort Sumter

• South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union on December 20, 1860, citing states' rights based on the original joining process.
• The Battle of Fort Sumter in April 1861 marked the onset of the Civil War, with South Carolina's Confederate forces attacking the Union garrison, resulting in a Confederate victory.

Major Battles

• The Battle of Vicksburg (May 18 - July 4, 1863) was a critical Union victory that split the Confederacy by seizing control of the Mississippi River.
• The Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, was the bloodiest single day in American military history, with approximately 23,000 casualties. It ended Lee's invasion of the North and led to Lincoln's Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.
• The Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863 was a pivotal Union victory, featuring Pickett's Charge and resulting in significant casualties on both sides. It was the largest battle of the Civil War with more than 85,000 Union troops engaged.

Border States

• Border states included Kentucky, Missouri, Delaware, and Maryland; they were slave states that did not secede.
• These states were crucial to the Union's strategic position, influencing control over waterways and proximity to the capital, Washington D.C.

War Strategies

• The South aimed to outlast the North, hoping to gain recognition as an independent nation by leveraging their agricultural strength, particularly in cotton farming.
• The North's Anaconda Plan sought to economically suffocate the South through blockades, preventing them from trading cotton and acquiring necessary supplies.