The Civil War - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

The Civil WarSlide2

Major Civil War Battles

Ft. Sumter-

On April 12, 1861 at 4:30 A.M. the first shot hurtled over Fort Sumter, at the entrance to the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. 

This was the beginning of the Civil War.

  Union troops, were forced to leave the fort the following day.  The U.S. flag was not raised again at Fort Sumter until February 18, 1865.  The fort was not of military importance, but a symbol to both sides. 

The First Battle at Bull Run

(1861) was the first major battle.  It was suppose to be the shortest and the end to the brand new war. Volunteer soldiers lined-up in colorful, clean uniforms waiting for the event to begin. People with picnic baskets sat on the hillsides as the troops battled. After ten hours of fighting, 900 soldiers lay dying as the Union troops retreated to Washington. 

Shiloh-

(1862) the Battle of Shiloh caused more than 23,500 men to be killed or missing.  From this important battle, General Grant knew that the South had a strong resolve

to continue to fight.

The Battle of Antietam

(1862)- saw General Lee lead the Confederate troops into the North.  The battle was not a decisive victory for either side.  This battle led to the issuance of the

Emancipation Proclamation

by President Abraham Lincoln. 

Gettysburg-

On July 3, 1863, Lee’s troops fought against General George Mead’s army at the Battle of Gettysburg.  This was the

turning point

in the war.  Meade lost 70% of his men, but 4,000 Confederate soldiers were captured. 

Vicksburg-

From December 1862 to July 1863, the Battle of Vicksburg was fought in Mississippi.  This Union victory split the Confederacy in two, with the

North controlling the Mississippi River

.  Grant had twice as many soldiers as confederate soldiers were starving and low on ammunition when General Pemberton surrendered. Slide3

Women and the War

Poor and working class women in the north took factory jobs vacated by men

Middle and upper class women stayed home, but supported the war effort in traditional ways

Women as nurses at battlefront hospitals becomes acceptable- Clara Barton, “Angel of the Battlefield” becomes the leading proponent of female nurses, founds the Red Cross after the warSlide4

Technology

Railroads

Engines

Guns

AdvancesSlide5

Emancipation and Black Liberation

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free

.” Of course, the Southern states don’t follow the decree, and Northern “border” states are not impacted.

African American soldiers fought with the Union Army- approx 179,000 by war’s end

Slaves in the south resist slavery- over 100,000 runaway slaves join the Union Army.Slide6

Sherman’s March to the Sea

Sherman's March to the Sea

is the name commonly given to the

Savannah Campaign

conducted through Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army. The campaign began with Sherman's troops leaving the captured city of Atlanta, Georgia, on November 16 and ended with the capture of the port of Savannah on December 21. It inflicted significant damage, particularly to industry and infrastructure (per the doctrine of total war), and also to civilian property. Military historian David J.

Eicher

wrote that Sherman "defied military principles by operating deep within enemy territory and without lines of supply or communication. He destroyed much of the South's physical and psychological capacity to wage war."Slide7

Ending the War

General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on

April 9, 1865

, ending the Civil War.Slide8

Notable Figures

Abraham Lincoln-

President of the USA

Jefferson Davis-

President of the CSA

Robert E. Lee-

Most famous general of the ConfederacyUlysses S. Grant-

Most famous general of the Union

William T. Sherman-

Union General who practiced total war

Clara Barton-

Founder, American Red CrossSlide9

What Advantages Did the South Have?

Momentum

Resolve

“Home Field” Advantage

“King Cotton”

Military Leadership

UnitySlide10

Why Does The North Win?

ProductionOrganization

Transportation

Population

Resources

Military strengthSlide11

The Civil War, Condensed

Most battles were fought in the South

The Northern economy prospered while the Southern economy declined

Most Northern soldiers were draftees or people who saw service as a stepping stone to a brighter future

Despite similar exemption policies, 90% of Southern men fought

Slavery was ended by the 13

th Amendment after the war, NOT the Emancipation ProclamationSlide12

So, what does that all mean…

The South had an early advantage in the war (Pt. 1, 4) because they had a “home field” advantage and an “all in” mentality, as they were fighting for their homes. Over time, the “home field” advantage and the “all in” mentality became a disadvantage, as it interfered with agricultural production- the backbone of the South’s economy. Add that to the failure of “Cotton Diplomacy” and a lack of manufacturing to make weapons, and the South’s economy bottomed out (Pt.2). The North started with a disadvantage- reluctant soldiers on unfamiliar terrain (Pt. 1, 3). Over time the power of their manufacturing and their higher population erased the South’s advantage, and even benefited their economy (Pt. 2). At NO point in the war was the slavery issue truly addressed, and it was not until after the war (and after intense political debate) that slavery

was ended (Pt.5).