MLA-appropriate, plagiarism-free research paper on The CIvil War 

MLA-appropriate, plagiarism-free research paper on The CIvil War

The Civil War

1861-1865

What Caused the Civil War?
Key Distinction: We need to distinguish between the cause of Southern secession and the start of the Civil War.
Southern Secession—These states left the Union because they believed the federal government was infringing upon their states’ rights (but most specifically, the right to own slaves).
Civil War—The Civil War did NOT begin because the North wanted to abolish slavery. It began because the South decided to secede from the Union.
Later Myth—Some Americans later looked back in time to the end result of the war, which included the abolition of slavery, instead of looking to the beginning. Abolishing slavery was a political move that was not heavily considered until most of the war was over.

A Bird’s Eye Look at the Civil War
Two sides: the North (Union) and the South (Confederates)
Two regions of fighting: West of Appalachia and East of Appalachia (the Union was better in the West; the Confederates were strong in the East)
Beginning (Fort Sumter)—Middle (West & East battles)—Critical losses (Stonewall Jackson’s death by “friendly fire” and the risky defeat at Gettysburg)—End (Appomattox)

Profile of Abraham Lincoln
The Different Shades of Lincoln—There have been two popular images of Lincoln in history that are questionable: (1) Lincoln, the Tyrant (2) Lincoln, the Great Emancipator.
The Reality—Abraham Lincoln’s views on the war and slavery were complex. He did not start the war so that he could free slaves, though he hated the institution of slavery. Yet, he did not believe that black and white people were equal. Nevertheless, his presidential actions had a massive impact.

Fort Sumter
A fort in South Carolina that was the last federal fort to be overtaken by the Confederates in the South
Recognizing that the fort was very low on supplies, Confederate General Pierre G.T. Beauregard and his men seized Fort Sumter
On April 12, 1861, Robert Anderson (of the Union) was forced to surrender the fort

The Union
President Lincoln believed that states did not have a right to secede from the Union—it was an eternal agreement. He summoned a militia of 75,000 men to stop what he saw as a rebellion
More Southern states secede: Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina
Border states: Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware (they remained in the Union, but some fought for the Confederates)

West Virginia
Not wanting to join the Confederates, West Virginia’s motto became: “Mountaineers Are Always Free”
They separated themselves from the state of Virginia and were admitted into the Union as a state on June 20, 1863

Advantages
The North: They had more people (22 million compared to 9 million), more factories, and more skilled laborers
The South: They had seized a lot of military property early on in the war, were much more accustomed to the outdoor life (handling guns and riding horses), had more experience in fighting (some in the Mexican War), and were defending a cause they believed in (states’ rights, most specifically, the right to own slaves)

1st Battle of Bull Run
Location: Manassas Junction, Virginia
During a poorly fought battle from both sides, the South was weakening
To provide support, Thomas J. Jackson and his men marvelously defended a key spot on the battlefield
A Confederate General shouted, “Look, there is Jackson with his Virginians, standing like a stone wall against the enemy.” Thus, he received the nickname: Stonewall Jackson.

The East-West Issue
The Appalachian Mountains split the South between the West and East
The North knew they could take advantage of this geographical problem, but it would not be easy
Called the “Anaconda” plan (squeezing the South until it was defeated)

The West (Tennessee)
The real hero for the North was Ulysses S. Grant (he helped take control of western Tennessee in 1862)
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=seE4RPyb1uk
At a fight for Fort Donelson, he proclaimed, “No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted.” This gave him the nickname “Unconditional Surrender Grant.”
With a victory at the Battle of Shiloh, western Tennessee was captured by the Union

Battle of Shiloh

The West (Mississippi)
Vicksburg, Mississippi was a critical city for the South to retain—it was the last port through which the Confederacy could get food and supplies from west of the Mississippi River (and having items shipped from Texas and Mexico)
Once again, Ulysses S. Grant was the North’s hero, capturing Vicksburg

The West (won by the North)
With the loss of Port Hudson, Louisiana, the Union controlled the entire Mississippi River

The East (Intro)
While the Union was tremendously successful in the West, the Confederates owned the East (for a while)
Two foes in the East: George McClellan (Union) and Robert E. Lee (Confederates)
McClellan lost his job after losing the “Seven Days’ Battle” – He simply did not take risks and try to deliver a “finishing blow.” This was a repeated problem for almost all Union generals. Later, the angered McClellan would run for president against Lincoln in 1864, but lost.

2nd Battle of Bull Run
After Gen. McClellan was demoted, the Union replaced him with John Pope—he was not any more successful
Again, Lee and Jackson were too great a force for the South
Note: The Confederates won this battle

Battle of Antietam
Date: September 17, 1862
The plan: Robert E. Lee made a risky move by attacking what was eerily close to Northern territory (Maryland was technically a slave state, but did not join the Confederacy; Antietam is very close to the Pennsylvania border as well)
This was the bloodiest day of the Civil War (5,000 dead and another 18,000 were wounded)
The North was essentially the “winner,” despite many casualties

The Emancipation Proclamation
This freed slaves, right? Well…
The Emancipation Proclamation announced that slaves who lived in states that were fighting against (i.e. only the Confederate states) the Union were “then, thence forward, and forever free.”
This was not the first time emancipation was instituted (the British tried this in the War of 1812, for example).
Signed on January 1, 1863

Battle of Fredericksburg
The Union’s new General: A.E. Burnside (where we get the term “sideburns”)
This battle was a disaster for the North (10,000 casualties for the Union Army)

Battle of Chancellorsville
This was the South’s costliest victory (over 10,000 soldiers were killed; the Union also lost 17,000)
Why this battle was so problematic: Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot when riding into camp after dark

Battle of Gettysburg
This was Robert E. Lee’s last chance to deliver a major blow against the North
The most decisive battle of the Civil War
Two Generals: George Meade (Union) and Robert E. Lee (Confederates)

Gettysburg (Cont’d)
The Union controlled “Cemetery Ridge”
The Confederates controlled “Seminary Ridge”
July 3, 1863, Lee sent a force of 15,000 Confederates charging up a hill towards Cemetery Ridge—100 reached the crest, engaging in hand-to-hand combat
For a time, the Confederates were in a surprising lead, but the Union overtook them all

Back to the West: Chattanooga and Chickamauga
Chattanooga was not even a battle—the Union forced the Confederates out without a fight
The battle came at Chickamauga where Confederate help was waiting—the Confederates managed to hold their own
However, the Union responded with the mighty Ulysses S. Grant whose men led the way to Georgia

Sherman and the Wilderness Campaign
Grant left William T. Sherman in charge of the Union armies from West to East—he went from Tennessee to Atlanta to Savannah (near the coast) and Northward
Meanwhile, Grant went from the North to the South in his “Wilderness Campaign” to attack Richmond
Grant’s men suffered terribly, losing 55,000
Despite the Union onslaught, Grant managed to overtake Petersburg and Richmond

Appomattox
Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee discussed and secured the terms of surrender at Appomattox Court House
Grant’s terms were generous and the agreement for Lee’s surrender was accepted
Soon afterwards, the war was completely over