AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
WRITING NOTES
Introduction: The American Civil War was a significant conflict that took place in the United States
from 1861 to 1865. It was primarily fought between the Northern states, known as the Union, and
the Southern states, known as the Confederacy. The main cause of the war was the longstanding
issue of slavery and the tensions between the Northern and Southern states over economic and
political differences.
Causes:
1. Central issue dividing North and South.
● The South relied on slave labour for agriculture.
● Abolitionists opposed slavery, viewing it as wrong and evil.
● Figures like Frederick Douglass, John Brown, Harriet Tubman, and Harriet Beecher Stowe
influenced Fear among Southern landowners that their way of life would end.
2. States' Rights:
● Ongoing debate since the Constitution about state vs. federal power.
● Southern states felt the federal government encroached on their rights.
● States' rights debates intensified the sectional divide.
3. Expansion:
● Westward expansion shifted power dynamics between North and South.
● Southern states feared loss of power and rights with each new state.
● New states became battlegrounds for power struggles.
4. Industry vs. Farming:
● Northern states shifted to industrial economies.
● Southern states maintained a large farming economy based on slave labour.
● Economic differences deepened the sectional conflict.
5. Bleeding Kansas:
● Conflict over slavery erupted in Kansas in 1854.
● The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed residents to vote on slavery.
● Bleeding Kansas" resulted from clashes between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces.
● Kansas entered the Union as a free state in 1861.
6. Abraham Lincoln:
● Elected President in 1860.
● Member of anti-slavery Republican Party.
● Southerners viewed him as a threat to their way of life.
● His election triggered Southern secession.
7. Secession:
● Southern states, starting with South Carolina, seceded from the Union.
● Eleven states formed the Confederate States of America
● Lincoln opposed secession, sent troops to enforce Union control.
● Civil War began in 1861, lasting until 1865.
South Carolina Secedes:
● Southern states, starting with South Carolina, seceded to form the Confederacy.
● The Confederacy comprised 11 states, each with its own constitution and president
(Jefferson Davis).
● Secession occurred from December 20, 1860 to February 1861.
● Secession surprised Lincoln and others.
● Lincoln, as president, aimed to reunite all states under one government.
● Determination to preserve the Union led to the start of the Civil War in 1861.
The North(Union)
● It comprises 25 states in the northern part of the U.S.
● Referred to as the Union, emphasising the desire for a united country.
● Larger, more industrialised, and wealthier than the South.
● Advantage in the Civil War due to more people and resources.
● Southern economy based on cotton and large plantations using enslaved
African Americans.
● The Northern economy centred on manufacturing and small farms with paid
workers.
● Dispute over whether slavery should expand to new Western states.
● Northerners opposed the spread of slavery, while Southerners argued for
states' rights.
Why did the Southern States leave?
● State rights
● Slavery
● Western States
● Abraham Lincoln
Timeline of the American Civil War
1. The Civil War Begins (April 12, 1861)
2. More States leave the Union (April 1861)
3. Union Blockade
4. Many Battles of 1861 and 1862
5. Emancipation Proclamation (Jan. 1, 1863)
6. The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1, 1863)
7. Sherman Captures Atlanta (Sept. 2, 1864)
Battle of Gettysburg:
Introduction:
Fought from July 1 to 3, 1863.
Pivotal moment in the Civil War, marking a turning point.
Over 50,000 estimated casualties, making it the bloodiest single battle of the war.
Union Victory and Lee's Ambitious Quest:
Ended Confederate General Robert E. Lee's second attempt to invade the North.
Shattered hopes of the Confederate States of America becoming independent.
Context: Lee's Strategic Move and Missed Opportunities:
Lee sought a battle north of the Mason-Dixon line after defensive victories in Virginia.
Defeat at Gettysburg prevented Lee from forcing a negotiated end to the war.
Meade's failure to pursue allowed the war to continue for another two years.
Before the Battle:
Lee's 75,000-man Army of Northern Virginia moved north for supplies and sustenance.
Union reluctance to engage, first under Hooker, then Meade, allowed Lee to reach Gettysburg.
The Aftermath:
Staggering casualties, with as many as 51,000 soldiers killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
Union victory buoyed Lincoln's hopes of ending the war.
Meade's failure to pursue allowed Lee to escape.
Gettysburg Address and Dedication Ceremony:
November 1863: Gettysburg's Soldiers’ National Cemetery becomes the final resting place for Union
soldiers.
Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address during the dedication ceremony.
Emphasises honouring the fallen and dedication to the unfinished work.
Conclusion:
The Battle of Gettysburg profoundly impacted the Civil War.
Reminds us of sacrifices made and ongoing dedication to the ideals for which many fought and died.
Abraham Lincoln:
1. Early Leadership and Civil War:
● Abraham Lincoln became the 16th President in March 1861.
● One month later, the U.S. Civil War officially begins.
● Lincoln's dedication to keeping the United States united and his character traits of integrity,
leadership, compassion, and honesty are widely recognized.
● Some view Lincoln's role in the war as crucial to preventing the Confederate States from
forming their own country.
2. Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address:
● Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.
● The proclamation grants immediate freedom to slaves in Confederate states fighting the
Union.
● African Americans are allowed to fight for the Union; nearly 200,000 sign up.
● Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in 1863 honours soldiers and emphasises equality for all,
reinforcing the foundation of the United States.
3. New Laws and Progressive Measures:
● Lincoln signed the Homestead Act in 1862, providing federal land grants to individuals,
including women and African Americans.
● The Homestead Act allows land ownership for many who were previously excluded.
● The National Banking Act of 1863 established the modern banking system and standardised
national currency.
4. Assassination of President Lincoln:
● Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth.
● The assassination occurs during a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.
● Lincoln is shot in the back of the head while sitting in the Presidential Box.
● John Wilkes Booth escapes after stabbing Major Rathbone and is later captured in a barn
south of Washington.
5. Conspiracy and Capture:
● Booth, a Confederate sympathiser, initially plans to kidnap Lincoln.
● The kidnapping plan fails, leading to Booth's decision to assassinate the president.
● Booth successfully kills Lincoln; co-conspirators' attempts to assassinate other officials fail.
● Booth is cornered in a barn and shot by soldiers; other conspirators are captured and
punished.
6. Legacy:
● Lincoln's leadership during the Civil War and progressive measures leave a lasting legacy.
● His tragic assassination highlights the challenges faced in a divided nation.
● Lincoln's contributions to freedom, equality, and the preservation of the United States are
remembered and revered.
