1. Strategy and Early Battles (pp. 451–456) The authors contend that had the North prevailed at the first “picnic-like” Battle of ________ Run (just south of Washington) in July 1861, southern states might have been re-admitted on easy terms. But after the bloody ________________ Campaign, in which Union forces under young General George ______________ failed to take the Confederate capital of ______________, Virginia, the Union strategy turned to “total war.” List the six elements of the new northern strategy mentioned on pp. 455–456?
1. 4.
2. 5.
3. 6.
2. Antietam and Emancipation, 1862 (pp. 456–462) a. Note the importance of the embargo on southern ports (keeping cotton in and war supplies out). Southerners tried to get around the embargo, partially through the use of their ironclad ship named the _______________, which in 1862 was challenged by the Northern “cheesebox on a raft,” the ________________.
b. Emboldened by his successes, Confederate Gen. Robert E. _______ advanced his army into northern territory and, in September 18_____, was engaged at Antietam Creek, in the western part of the state of ______________. This bloody battle was militarily a draw. However, list the two reasons why the authors call this engagement “the most decisive of the Civil War.”
(1)
(2)
c. What were Lincoln’s objectives in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation? How did this proclamation signal a change in northern war aims?
(1) Objectives:
(2) Changed war aims:
d. Why was the proclamation technically less than it appeared? Why do the authors summarize by saying “. . . where he could he would not, and where he would he could not”?
e. About ___________ blacks joined the army after Emancipation, representing about ____percent of Union forces, including the famed Massachusetts 54th, which attacked Fort Wagner in South Carolina (dramatized in the feature film Glory).
5. War’s End and Lincoln’s Death (pp. 471–474) After Gettysburg, Grant was made commander of all Union armies and proceeded to chased Lee around the Virginia countryside in a series of bloody battles until Lee was forced to surrender at ________________ Court House in April 18____. Less than two weeks later, Lincoln was killed at ________ Theater by southern sympathizer John Wilkes _________. Lincoln and his Vice President Johnson had many of the same views about quickly binding up the wounds of war and letting the Southern states back into the Union on relatively easy terms. Why then do the authors argue on p. 473 that the highly contentious battle with Congress over a harsh or gentle “reconstruction” policy after the war would have turned out much differently (and better!) had Lincoln lived? *** Any thoughts on this hypothetical conclusion?
6. Reflections (pp. 474–475) Over __________ men were killed or seriously wounded in this war (more than in ALL other U. S. wars combined!) and $____ billion was spent. Despite this toll, the authors reflect a northern perspective and are pretty positive about the outcome. List three positive results of the war cited by the authors. *** Then, on the right side, come up with two or three counterarguments or differing interpretations that might be put forward by skeptics or southern partisans.
Positive Results Counterarguments
(1)
(2)
(3)
