Bleeding Kansas

A miniature battle in Kansas where pro-slavery and anti-slavery citizens fought each other to determine whether slavery would be allowed or not.

John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry

Abolitionist John Brown tried to seize the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia in 1859. He wanted to use the weapons to arm slaves for a rebellion that would end slavery.

States' Rights

Rights that belong to the states rather than the federal government (however, federal laws were dominant over state laws).

Election of 1860

Abraham Lincoln won with just 40% of the votes, all from the North. The South was now in the minority. It no longer had the power to shape national events or policies.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States (formerly an attorney). He was a strong leader and won the Civil War for the Union.

Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Davis was the first and only President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. He was also a Senator and U.S. Representative from Mississippi.

Civil War

The Civil War was the bloodiest battle in the Western Hemisphere. It took place from April 12, 1861 to April 9, 1865. The war wasn't caused by slavery, but because of the secession of the Southern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia).

Goals of the Union and the Confederacy

The Union's main goal was to get the Confederacy back into the Union, but more importantly, abolish slavery. The Confederacy's goal was to completely secede from the Union, form a stable government, and allow slavery.

Advantages/disadvantages of the Union and Confederacy

Union Advantages: Produces weapons and ammunition faster, better food supplies, vastly larger troops, and familiarization to home land. Union Disadvantages: Unfamiliar with Confederate land, poorly trained troops, and a general with a lack of military experience. Confederate Advantages: Familiarized home land, better trained troops, great general, and many ports for food. Confederate Disadvantages: Vastly smaller troops, weapons and ammunition produced at a much slower rate, food shortages, water shortages, and land loss.

General Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses Grant was the General of the Union Army during and after the Civil War. Grant isn't known as the best general of all time, but he has shown amazing effort into winning the war, and never backed down.

General Robert E. Lee

Robert Lee was the General of the Confederate Army. Lee was known as one of the best generals at his time and got through some battles with ease. However, due to shortages in food, he surrendered shortly after.

Fort Sumter

The Battle of Fort Sumter was the bombardment of the Union base named Fort Sumter and caused the Civil War to begin shortly after.

Anaconda Plan

The Anaconda Plan was the idea to "squeeze" and capture the Confederate States of America. The plan consisted of 4 parts: 1) Blockade all of the South's ports in order to restrict the importation of necessary supplies. 2) Cut the South in half by taking control of the Mississippi River. 3) Further divide the South by capturing the Tennessee River Valley. 4) Capture Richmond, VA, the capital of the Confederate States of America.

Total War

The idea where the Union destroyed everything in the Confederate States of America, including people, their homes, crops, cattle, etc.

Battle of Antietam

The Battle of Antietam was a battle near Sharpsburg. The Battle of Antietam was a Union victory; however, this was the 8th costliest battle in terms of casualties.

Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg was the battle fought in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Union won this battle; however, in terms of casualties, this was the costliest battle in the Civil War.

Siege of Vicksburg

The Siege of Vicksburg determined the splitting of the Confederate States of America (in half). This was also the final major military action in the Civil War, prior to the capture of Vicksburg.

Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse

This was the surrender of the Civil War at a courthouse (also began here). The courthouse is well known because of this.

Impact of Lincoln's Assassination

Lincoln's assassination changed the citizens of America from a happy state to a shocked and worried state due to John Wilkes Booth's ingenious plan. This caused no major political change (the Confederate States of America didn't come back).