American Civil War

Causes

1. Different Economic systems of North and South

 Industrialized North.

 Cotton based Agriculturalist South

2. Rise of Abolitionist Movement.

 Resistance to slavery in North.

 Slave rebellions

 Runaway slaves
 3. Kansas – Nebraska Act (1854)

4. Election of Lincoln

Prelude to War

Session of 11 South Southern States

 Before inauguration of Lincoln in March 1861, South Carolina seceded from union on 20

Dec, 1860.

 Before Sort Sumter: Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana (Jan 1861), Texas

 After Sort Sumter: Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee.

Confederate States of America

Seceded states created Confederate States of America with its capital in Richmond. Jefferson Davis was

elected its President.

Start

Confederate army attacked on Union-held Fort Sumter in South Carolina on 12 April 1865

First and Second Battle of Bull Run (1861, 1862)

Union defeated at First Battle of Bull Run (1861) and Second Battle of Bull (1862). American leaders and

people realized that war is not going to be easy.

Battle of Shiloh (1862)

Union victory at Battle of Shiloh (1862) at cost of 20000 soldiers on both sides.

Battle of Antietam (1862)

Union victory at Battle of Antietam (1862) stopped Lee’s advance in North. Confident by this huge

victory, Lincoln issued Emancipation Proclamation (1862), declaring all slaves in South free citizens.

Battle of Chancellorsville (1863)

Battle of Chancellorsville (1863) ended with Confederate victory.

Battle of Gettysburg (1863)

In 1863, Gen. Lee started new invasion of North but he was defeated at Gettysburg in close battle. It was

turning point of the war. Union became confident of its victory.

Thirteenth Amendment (1865)

It abolished slavery, and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime

Sherman’s March to Sea

Gen. Sherman begins his march to Sea in January 1864. He captured Atlanta and Savannah on the way.

Gen Ulysses S. Grant

Gen. Grant became commander in 1864.

Surrender of Confederacy and End of War

On 8 April 1865, Gen. Lee surrenders to Great at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.

Assassination of Lincoln

Lincoln was assassinated on 14 April, 1865.

Why Union Won

South North
Strong Military but fighting on its own territory Industrial had support of U.K and naval

superiority
Moral High but less population and resources More population

RECONTRUCTION

After winning Civil War, US government faced following issues:

1. Civil rights of Black citizens especially in Southern States

2. Treatment of Ex-confederate Officials and Soldiers

 3. Re-admission of Confederate States into Union

There were different versions of Reconstruction of South as follows.

a- Lincoln’s Plan:

Lincoln wanted an easier plan for reconstruction of South by following measures:

1. Free all slaves and Ratify Thirteenth Amendment

2. Confederate Governments disbanded.

3. New State Governments in each Confederate State.

4. No former Confederate leader or military officer will be part of new Governments

b- Johnson’s Plan

Johnson wanted Reconstruction with following measures similar to plan of Lincoln.

1. State Conventions in all Confederate States to nullify Military Ordinances of Secession

2. Repudiate Confederates debts

3. Ratify Thirteenth Amendment

4. Amnesty to all rebels who take oath of allegiance

Congress’s Plan

Congress was dominated by radical Republican who wanted a strict Reconstruction Plan in which

former-Confederate States pay the price of war.

Congress implemented its plan and frustrated the plans of Lincoln and Johnson by following measures.

1. Establishment of Freedman’s Bureau (1865) against Black Codes

2. Civil Rights Act of 1866

3. Fourteenth Amendment (1866): Blacks are citizens of USA and all laws against Blacks are

unconstitutional

4. Military Reconstruction Act (1867): Five Military Districts were created in South

5. Fifteenth Amendment (1869): Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or

previous condition of servitude

6. Re-admission of former-Confederate States into Union: Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina,

Louisiana, South Carolina, Alabama in re-admitted in 1868 where as Virginia, Mississippi and

Texas re-admitted in 1870 after ratification of Fourteenth Amendment

7. Enforcement Act (1870)

8. Civil right Act of 1875

Revival of Conservative Governments

1869 to 1877

Jim Crow Laws

Tennessee passed the first such law in 1881, when it segregated railroad coaches, followed by

Florida in 1887, Texas in 1889, and Louisiana in 1890. The appeals reached the Supreme Court

which in the case Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) upheld these state laws so long as equal

accommodations existed.