civil war overview
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TRANSCRIPT
A Fast Forced March Through The Civil
War
I’m going to take usquickly through theAmerican Civil War.
That will give us all an idea about the most important events beforewe start looking at specifics.
Let’s start by comparing the two sides in the Civil War. Each had advantages that help it and drawbacks that hindered it during the war.
Let’s start by looking atthe advantages the Northhad entering the CivilWar.
Larger Population
More industry
ALL the armories for making guns were in theNorth.
More Resources
The North had a much better system of railroad lines, most modern equipment and was better connected than the South.
Better system to finance the war
The North has the bestbanks and most of thenation’s cash.
Had more ships
The Navy stayed loyal to the Union
Now let’s look at the North’s disadvantages
Forcing people to do what youwant is very difficult -- remain inthe Union
Not a lot of Northerners supportedthe war
The North has the materialadvantages!
But, what are the advantages of the
South as it enters the Civil War?
White population supports the war
Fighting on their landthat they know well
Best leaders in the Armywent with the Confederacy
However, the South has manydisadvantages that limit itswar effort
Confederacy had no weaponsproducing facility
Confederate economy was basedon the export of cotton
Confederate agriculture was notdesigned for raising food
Much smaller population of freewhites than the North
Worse railroad system: fewer miles of track and no uniformrailway gage
States rights believers worked fortheir state but often not for theCSA
The Confederate war plan isto remain undefeated untilthe North recognizesConfederate independence.
The Union war plan isto: 1. capture Richmond, the Confederate capital 2. control the Mississippi River and cut the Confederacy in half East/West 3. naval blockade of the South stopping cotton exports and destroying Southern economy
The war was a series of back and forth battles which eventually gave the North victory
Gettysburg was the most important battle. It changed everything• Lee gets supplies he needs to keep CSA in field for another year
• Lee over reaches and suffers high casualties
• Lincoln makes war about abolition of slavery rather than ending secession
Gen. Grant, and his associates,Gen. Phil Sheridan and Gen.William Sherman commit to total war in order to defeatSouthern generals.
Sheridan ShermanU.S. Grant
Sheridan’s army destroysEVERYTHING in theShenandoah Valley
Sherman destroys EVERYTHING in a 20 mile wide swath as he marches eastward to the sea.
Cuts the Confederacy in half North/South
Ensures Lincoln’s reelection as president
U.S. GrantTakes the battle to the enemy
Goes around Lee’s dug-in trench warfare positions
Takes the casualties necessary to over run Confederate positions
Because of the high casualties under Grant’s command, some called him “Butcher Grant”
Grant’s approach and perseveranceforce Gen. Lee tosurrender his Army of NorthernVirginia thus endingthe Civil War with a Northern defeat of the Confederacy
The Union defeats the
Confederacy