Overview
This lecture explored the election of 1860, southern secession, the early battles of the Civil War, and the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Election of 1860 and Secession
- Republican Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential nomination due to being moderate on slavery and appealing to key states.
- The Democratic Party split into northern and southern factions, nominating Stephen Douglas and John Breckenridge respectively.
- Lincoln's victory (with only 39% of the popular vote) led South Carolina and other lower South states to secede, believing their rights (primarily to own slaves) were threatened.
- The Confederate States of America formed with Jefferson Davis as president and Alexander Stephens as vice president.
Outbreak of the Civil War
- Lincoln attempted to balance firmness and peace in his inaugural address, vowing to preserve the Union and not interfere with slavery where it existed.
- The Confederacy seized federal property in the South, culminating in the attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, which marked the war's beginning.
- Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to put down the rebellion, prompting four more slave states to join the Confederacy.
Early Battles and Strategies
- Both sides expected a short war, but leaders prepared for a longer conflict.
- The first major battle at Bull Run (Manassas) on July 21, 1861, ended in a Confederate victory and shattered illusions of a quick war.
- Union leaders, including McClellan and Grant, began organizing and advancing, with significant victories in the West (Fort Henry, Donelson, Shiloh, New Orleans, Memphis).
- In the East, McClellan's Peninsula Campaign failed to capture Richmond; Lee took command and won the Seven Days Battles and Second Bull Run.
Emancipation Proclamation and Black Troops
- The war increasingly focused on slavery; fugitive slaves began reaching Union lines and were labeled "contrabands."
- The 1862 Confiscation Acts made it illegal to return escaped slaves to owners.
- After the Battle of Antietam (the bloodiest single day in U.S. history), Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, effective January 1, 1863.
- The Emancipation Proclamation authorized the enlistment of Black soldiers, with 179,000 serving before the war's end.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Secession — The act of southern states leaving the Union to form the Confederacy.
- Confederate States of America — The nation formed by seceded southern states.
- Contrabands — Escaped slaves who reached Union lines and were not returned to owners.
- Emancipation Proclamation — Lincoln's 1863 order freeing slaves in rebelling states.
- Battle of Bull Run/Manassas — First major land battle, resulting in Confederate victory.
- Army of the Potomac — Main Union army in the Eastern Theater.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review notes on Gettysburg and the final years of the Civil War for the next class.
- Read assigned textbook chapters covering Civil War campaigns and emancipation.