Fenian Raids and American Civil War PDF

Curriculum Connection Name: ________________________ 18 A1.1, A1.4, A3.1, A3.6 Who Were The Fenians? The Fenians were members of an Irish secret society. The society was founded in 1858 in the United States by John O’Mahony and...

Curriculum Connection Name: ________________________ 18 A1.1, A1.4, A3.1, A3.6 Who Were The Fenians? The Fenians were members of an Irish secret society. The society was founded in 1858 in the United States by John O’Mahony and in Ireland by James Stephens. The Fenians hated the British because the British were ruling in Ireland at the time. The British army was the strongest in the world and the Irish couldn’t match their firepower. What Were the Fenian Raids? The Fenians knew they couldn’t do anything to stop the British in Ireland, so they attacked Britain another way. Remember, the colonies in British North America were British, meaning the people living in BNA were technically British. So, to get back at Britain, the Fenians decided to raid across the border into Upper and Lower Canada. The Raids - Battle of Ridgeway The Fenians had a society of over 10,000 men. They had many plans of attacking across the Canadian border, but Canada had spies to prepare their defense. In 1866, the Fenians wanted to attack at several points in Canada West and East, but 20,000 Canadian volunteers defended the border. In June 1866, 850 Fenians crossed the Niagara River. They advanced toward Port Colborne, but they didn’t realize that British forces in Canada West were waiting for them. British Commander George Napier had 20,000 Canadian troops as well as more British regiments on the march. The inexperienced Canadian army defended their territory well as they sent the Fenians home. Nine Canadians were killed in this battle, and 32 were injured. The Fenians lost 10 men killed and an unknown number wounded. Fenian Raids – Reason for Confederation With the Fenians planning more raids and attacks, John A. Macdonald wanted to unite the colonies so they could form a stronger military. The border between the USA and Canada is large, which means a large military is needed for protection. Macdonald knew that Britain would stop coming to Canada’s defense sooner or later, so he used the Fenian Raids as another reason to unite the colonies. © Super Simple Sheets supersimplesheets.com  Curriculum Connection Name: ________________________ 83 A3.1, A3.4 What Was The American Civil War? A civil war is when the people in the same country fight against each other. The American Civil War happened in the 1860s when the Northern American states fought against the Southern American states. The North did not believe in slavery, while the South was using slaves to work on cotton farms. Causes of the American Civil War During this time period, the United States had 34 states. Today, they have 50. There were 19 northern states that were free states and 15 that were slave states in the South. The United States was expanding west. Settlers were moving west, and new states were being created. The people living in the North wanted these northern states to be free states while the people in the south wanted these new states to be slave states. The South were using slaves to run their cotton plantations. Their entire economy relied on using enslaved African Americans to do most of the work. In the North, the economy relied more on manufacturing and small farms that used paid workers. Missouri Compromise In 1819, the U.S. Congress was deciding if Missouri could become a new slave state. The Northerners did not want to allow Missouri to join, but the Southerners demanded it. Maine also asked to join as a free state, so a compromise was made. Congress allowed Missouri to join as a slave state and Maine as a free state. Kansas-Nebraska Act In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act made two new states that allowed the people in the area to decide if they wanted to allow slaves or not. This created fighting between the people as one side wanted slavery and the other didn’t. President Abraham Lincoln In 1860, Lincoln was named president of the United States. Lincoln did not agree with slavery. The Southern states were worried Lincoln would outlaw slavery, so they withdrew from the United States. The states became known as the Confederacy. The states that stayed loyal to the U.S. were called the Union. Abraham Lincoln Fighting The war broke out in 1861 and lasted until 1865. Confederate troops lost the war to the Union. Slavery was outlawed in any states that were to join the United States. Over time, all the southern states joined to form the U.S. we know today. © Super Simple Sheets supersimplesheets.com