People of the Civil War - Weeblydyermpms.weebly.com/uploads/8/6/0/5/86057832/key...States during the...
Transcript of People of the Civil War - Weeblydyermpms.weebly.com/uploads/8/6/0/5/86057832/key...States during the...
People of the Civil WarThe Essentials
Abraham Lincoln
President of the United States during the Civil War
Mostly self-educated (18 months of formal education)
Sought to end the spread of slavery, though did not support equal rights among the races
Signed the Emancipation Proclamation (effective Jan 1, 1863), freeing all slaves
Assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in 1865
Jefferson Davis
Only President of the Confederate States of America
Graduated from West Point, fought in Mexican-American War, US Secretary of War, Senator from Mississippi
Considered a far worse leader than Lincoln, too controlling and out of touch
Captured in May 1865 and charged with treason (though never tried). Not allowed to run for public office ever again.
Robert E. Lee
General of Confederate Army and “hero of the south”
West Point Graduate- 2nd in class
Previously served US military, rejected offer to lead Union troops after his home state of Virginia seceded
Surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, VA in April 1865
Still praised as an icon of military leadership and strategy
Ulysses S. Grant
General of Union Army in Civil War
West Point graduate, fought in Mexican-American War
Accepted surrender of General Lee
Elected President in 1868 Irony: Grant owned slaves at
one point, but as President claimed many civil rights victories, including the election of African Americans to Congress
Harriet Tubman
Leading Abolitionist, “Conductor” of the Underground Railroad
Escaped slavery and led 19 missions to bring over 300 slaves to freedom in Canada
Rewards for her capture reached $40,000 but praised as a hero among abolitionists
Served as a nurse for the Union forces
Known as “Moses” by those associated with the Underground Railroad
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Wrote anti-slavery book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
Book based on abolitionist literature and her personal observations in Kentucky
Praised in the north and led to greater abolitionist movement
Criticized heavily in the south- declared biased propaganda that unfairly portrayed slavery
John Brown
Led raid at Harper’s Ferry, 1859
Although he was white, settled in a black community in New York
Believed he was chosen by God to end slavery
Captured during raid, tried for murder, slave insurrection and treason
Sentenced to death by hanging
Frederick Douglass
Important abolitionist and anti-slavery orator
Born into slavery, bought and sold several times
Taught to read and write by the wife of one of his owners
Successfully escaped slavery in 1848 after several attempts
Helped recruit African-Americans to join Union army during the war
William T. Sherman
Union general, led “Sherman’s March” through the south during Civil War
West Point graduate Burned Atlanta, led
devastating march to the sea, leaving a trail of destruction
Credited with saying “war is hell”
Henry Clay
Known as the “Great Compromiser”, responsible for Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850
Represented Kentucky in Senate and House of Representatives
Dred Scott
A slave who lived for a short time with his owner in free states, and with the help of antislavery lawyers, Scott sued for his freedom.
The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court - the Court decided that Scott had no right to sue because slaves were not citizens, and they said that slaves were property, and property rights are protected by the Constitution.
George McClellan
Briefly served as General in Chief of the Union Army (1860-1862).
Lincoln disagreed with McClellan’s leadership style and removed him as General. In 1864, McClellan ran against Lincoln for President and lost.