AHIS 100

The War for Union

Dr. Kane

mkane2@albany.edu

Office Hrs: W 10:30-11:30 & F 11:30-12:30

Social Science 60S


maevekane.net/ahis100/lecture-slides

November 30

coming up

  • last paper Dec 4
  • studyguide posted to Blackboard Dec 1
  • final exam Tuesday December 15 3:30-5:30pm

last time

  • escalating violence
  • Kansas-Nebraska
  • Bleeding Kansas
  • Harper's Ferry
  • election of 1860

today

  • reasons for secession
  • results of secession
  • early military difficulties on both sides
  • economic and cultural impacts of war

an avoidable war?

  • Lincoln's election - 82% voter turnout
  • Southern anger - Lincoln a radical Republicans
  • Northern anger - Lincoln an anti-slavery moderate
  • Crittenden Compromise

Secession

  • South Carolina first, followed by 6 others
  • many states in "upper south" and border states on the fence
  • American Revolution and Texas independence
  • Lincoln would not invade, but secession was "legally void"

Fort Sumter

  • preservation of federal property
  • fort in need of resupply
  • South Carolina demands evacuation
  • first shots fired April 12 1861
  • Lincoln calls up 75k militia

why did additional southern states secede after Fort Sumter?

      A. it proved that the Southern military could stand up to the Union
      B. the British and French withdrew their diplomatic recognition from the Northern government
      C. Lincoln calling up troops proved that the federal government would over reach its powers
      D. Lincoln announced his intention to outlaw slavery as a result of the loss of Fort Sumter

what precedent could Lincoln have used to justify suppressing Southern rebellion?

(discuss, full points for all answers)

      A. the Virginia governor's suppression of Bacon's Rebellion
      B. the British suppression of the American Revolution
      C. George Washington's suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion
      D. the North attempted to secede with the Hartford Convention of 1814 (ie, let the South go)

Anaconda Plan

  • great in theory, terrible in early execution
  • naval blockade and seizure of waterways to economically strangle south
  • lessons of American Revolution - wars of occupation are hard to win

why was the Union concerned with keeping the loyalty of the slave-holding border states of Delaware, Maryland, Missouri and Kentucky?

(more than one right answer)

      A. losing the border states would make it necessary to occupy more enemy territory
      B. losing the border states would lose significant material resources for the Union
      C. losing the border states would bring Confederate territory very close to the capital in Washington
      D. losing the border states would mean outlawing slavery throughout the Union

Bull Run and Antietam

  • control of cities and rivers
  • early standstills and minor victories at great cost
  • North: greater numbers
  • South: better tactics on the ground

The Normal School Company

  • New York 44th infantry - 1200 in 1861, 200 in 1862
  • 2 professors + graduating classes of 1862 and 1863
  • 40 of 200 dead by the end of the war
  • 10% of Northern men, 30% of Southern men
  • (Iraq-Afghanistan 1%)

economic impacts

  • plummeting cotton production and exports
  • Northern manufacturing drops
  • Union payments of loans and soldiers
  • loss of Southern tax revenue
  • greenback devaluation and gold standard

The Dakota War - 1862

  • US paper money worth less and less
  • earlier treaties agreed to annual payments of cash and food in exchange for land
  • Native people forced to sell reservation lands to buy food
  • US Indian agent: "let them eat grass or dung"
  • 800 white settlers, 2000 Native people in a month

Confiscation Acts - 1861 & 1862

  • flood of escaping enslaved people across Union lines
  • people or property?
  • Union reluctance to alienate border states by freeing escaped slaves
  • contraband: property of enemies could be confiscated, could not become citizens