Civil War Vocabulary and Skills

Civil War Vocabulary and Skills Study Notes

• Secession: Southern states formally withdrew from the Union in 1860-1861, leading to the Civil War. South Carolina was first. Motivations included preserving slavery and states' rights.

• The Civil War: A conflict (1861-1865) between the Union (North) and Confederacy (South) over slavery, states' rights, and secession. Fought across the US.

• The Union: The Northern states, led by Lincoln, fought to preserve the United States and later to abolish slavery. Consisted of free states and loyal border states.

• The Confederacy: Southern states that seceded, led by Jefferson Davis. Formed a government to preserve slavery and states' rights.

• Emancipation Proclamation: An executive order by Lincoln (January 1, 1863), freeing slaves in Confederate territory. This fundamentally shifted the war's focus and allowed African Americans to join the Union military.

• Gettysburg Address: A short, powerful speech by Lincoln (November 19, 1863) at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania cemetery, emphasizing national unity and equality.

• 13th Amendment: Abolished slavery in the US (ratified in 1865), excluding instances of punishment for crime.

• Abraham Lincoln (as President): 16th US President (1861-1865), leading the Union through the Civil War, preserving the nation, and abolishing slavery. Essential to Union victory.

• Crittenden Compromise: A failed attempt (December 1860) to avoid war by allowing slavery in territories south of 36°30' line, highlighting the deep divisions.

• Fort Sumter: Site of the first Civil War battle (April 12-13, 1861), where Confederate forces fired upon a Union garrison in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, beginning the war.

• Jefferson Davis: President of the Confederacy (1861-1865), championing states' rights and slavery. Led Confederate efforts during the war.

• Loyal Border States: Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and later West Virginia, slave states that remained loyal to the Union. Vital to the Union's war effort.

• Anaconda Plan: Union strategy (1861) to defeat the Confederacy by blockading Southern ports and controlling the Mississippi River. Successfully weakened the South.

• George McClellan: Union general, known for organizing the Army of the Potomac. Cautious approach frustrated Lincoln.

• First Battle of Bull Run: First major Civil War battle (July 21, 1861) at Manassas, Virginia. Confederate victory, shattering Northern hopes for a quick victory.

• Robert E. Lee: Confederate general, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. Renowned for tactics, but surrender at Appomattox signaled the end of the Confederacy.

• Battle of Antietam: Bloodiest single-day battle (September 17, 1862), Union victory near Sharpsburg, Maryland, enabling Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

• Ulysses S. Grant: Union general, known for aggressive tactics, secured Union victory, and accepted Lee’s surrender at Appomattox.

• Ironclads: Warships with iron plating (1862), revolutionizing naval warfare, giving the Union advantage at sea.

• Role of Blacks in Military (During Civil War): African American soldiers and laborers fought for the Union, contributing significantly, especially after the Emancipation Proclamation.

• Battle of Gettysburg: Decisive Union victory (July 1-3, 1863) at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, ending Lee’s invasion of the North and boosting Union morale.

• Battle of Vicksburg: Union siege (May 18-July 4, 1863), seizing Vicksburg, Mississippi, giving the Union control of the Mississippi River.

• Homestead Act 1862: Provided 160 acres of free land in western territories to settlers, promoting westward expansion and economic growth.

• Internal Revenue Act 1862: Established the first federal income tax, financing the Union war effort.

• Sherman's March to the Sea: Union General Sherman's campaign of destruction through Georgia (November-December 1864), weakening the South.

• Appomattox Court House: Site of Lee's surrender to Grant (April 9, 1865), effectively ending the Civil War and marking the beginning of Reconstruction.

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