Civil War and the Union Victory

Introduction

• Discussion on the Civil War, focusing on the factors leading to the Union's victory.
• Context: Following Abraham Lincoln's election and the secession of the Southern states.

Initial Advantages

• Southern Advantages:

  • Defensive war strategy.
  • Experienced military leaders (e.g., Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson).

• Northern Advantages:

  • Larger population (4x that of the South).
  • Strong navy to control seas and rivers.
  • Economic strength (majority of banks, manufacturing districts, 70% of railroads).
  • Established central government.

Economic Mobilization

• North: Modernized manufacturing (future industry leaders like Carnegie, Rockefeller).
• South: Relied on tariffs/taxes, struggled financially due to Union blockades.

Opposition to the War

• South: States’ rights ideology led to refusal of centralized taxation.
• North: New York City Draft Riots due to perceived injustice ($300 exemption fee).

Course of the War

• Lincoln's Stance: Against secession but cautious about war.
• Fort Sumter Incident: First official conflict, leading to war.

Key Battles and Strategies

• First Battle of Bull Run: Early Confederate victory.

• Union Strategies:

  • Anaconda Plan: Blockade Southern ports, control Mississippi River to split Confederacy.

• Confederate Strategy:

  • Reliance on foreign aid (Britain & France), hindered by alternative cotton sources (India, Egypt).

Factors Leading to Union Victory

1. Leadership Improvements:

   • General Ulysses S. Grant's aggressive tactics.

2. Strategic Moves:

   • Emancipation Proclamation:
     • Freed enslaved people in rebellious states.
     • Shifted war focus to abolishing slavery.
     • Discouraged British support for the Confederacy.

3. Key Battles:

   • Battle of Vicksburg:
     • Union success under General Grant.
     • Gained control of Mississippi, vital for the Anaconda Plan.

4. Destruction of Southern Infrastructure:

   • Sherman's March to the Sea:
     • Destruction from Atlanta to Savannah.
     • Scorched earth policy.

5. Naval Blockade Success:

   • Severely impacted Southern economy and supply lines.

Conclusion

• End of war marked by General Lee's surrender to General Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9th, 1865.
• Additional resources available for further study (e.g., Unit 5 playlist).

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