Ch. 16: The Civil War pg. 458Why It Matters: The

Civil War-a war in which Americans fought other Americans-transformed the United States. It shattered the economy of the South while contributing to the rapid economic growth of the North and the West. African Americans gained freedom when slavery was abolished, but the way left a legacy of bitterness between North and South that lasted for generations.

The Impact Today: Key events during this era still shape our lives today. For example:

The institution of slavery was abolished

The war established the power of the federal government over the states.

Section 1: The Two SidesMain Idea: Both

the North and the South had strengths and weaknesses that helped determine their military strategies.

Key Terms:Border StateBlockadeOffensiveRebelYankee

I. Choosing Sides pgs. 460-462Seven states left the Union and formed the

Confederacy in February 1861. Four more states joined in April: Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas.

The capital was Richmond, Virginia, about 100 miles south from the Union’s capital of Washington, D.C.

Border States The border states of

Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware stayed in the Union but were divided over which side to support.

They played an important part in the war because of their location, and they would seriously damage the North if they seceded.

Border States1. Missouri could control parts of the

Mississippi River and major routes West.

2. Kentucky controlled the Ohio River

3. Delaware was close to the North’s important city of Philadelphia.

4. Maryland was very close to Richmond, had important railroad lines, and had the Union’s capital of Washington, D.C., within its borders.

Choosing Sides In April a mob in Baltimore attacked Northern troops.

Confederate sympathizers burned railroad lines and cut the telegraph line to Washington, isolating it.

Lincoln had to be cautious in his response so as not to upset the people of the border states and especially Maryland.

He ended up arresting people who supported secession.

The border states remained in the Union, but many of the citizens joined Southern armies.

Take me home, to the place I belong, West Virginia mountain mama…Take me home!Most white Southerners

supported secession, but people in the Appalachian region of Tennessee and Virginia opposed it.

In Virginia a movement to secede from the state and rejoin the Union grew. The separate state of West Virginia joined the Union in 1863.

Comparing North and SouthBoth sides had advantages and disadvantages.

The following were the North’s advantages:1. a larger population2. more industry3. more resources4. a better banking system to help raise money5. more ships6. regular navy members who were mostly loyal

to the Union7. a larger and more efficient railway system8. Abraham Lincoln’s dedication, intelligence,

skill, and humanity

DisadvantagesThe following were

the North’s disadvantages:

1. In order to bring the Southern states back in to the Union it would have to invade and hold the South.

2. Many people believed the South had a good chance of winning.

Comparing North and South The following were the South’s advantages:

1. strong support for the war from the white population

2. troops fighting on their own land3. superior military leadership at first (General

Robert E. Lee)

The following were the South’s disadvantages1. a smaller population2. few factories3. fewer resources, including an inferior railroad system with fewer than half the miles of track and fewer trains than the North4. belief in states’ rights that limited a strong central gov’t power

Comparing North and South War goals were different. The North at first

wanted to bring the Southern states back into the Union and wanted to also end slavery. The Union’s plan had three parts.1. Blockade Southern ports to prevent supplies

from entering and cotton from being exported.2. Gain control of the Mississippi River to cut

Southern supply lines and to split the Confederacy.

3. Capture Richmond, the Confederate capital.

South’s Plan

The South’s goal was to win recognition as an independent nation so the South could preserve their traditional way of life, including slavery.

1. holding on to as much territory as possible until the North tired of fighting

2. having Britain and France pressure the North to end the war

3. sometimes going on the attack by moving north to threaten Washington, D.C., and other Northern cities.

American People at War Soldiers came from all walks of life although

many came from farms.

One difficult aspect of the Civil War was that Americans were fighting other Americans.

The average age was 25 years, but about 40% were 21 or younger.

A soldier’s term was 90 days at first, but then became longer when the war did not end quickly.

The number of soldiers from the North and South differed greatly.

By the summer of 1861, the Confederate army, also called the Rebels, had about 112,000 soldiers.

The Unions, or Yankee, soldiers numbered about 187,000.

By the end of the war, about 850,000 men fought for the Confederacy, and about 2.1 million men fought for the Union.

About 200,000 African Americans fought for the Union, and about 10,000 Hispanics fought in the conflict.

American People at War Both sides expected the war to end

quickly. Some leaders saw the war would be

a long one. Northern General William Tecumseh

Sherman’s predicted a very long war, and his prediction was accurate.